The difference between living and being alive is intention. It’s hard to deviate from simply going through the motions and instead create your own path. Despite its difficulty though, there’s little more painful than ignoring your identity and being somebody you aren’t. Singer/songwriter Bridget Rian emerges onto the scene with an image-defining single that aims to be as cathartic for its audience as it presumably was for its author. “Type of Girl” dissuades its listeners from settling for less than they’re worth. It urges you to confront your individuality and honor it.
With her debut release, Rian wastes no time showing her true colors, but tells us more than just who she is: She shows us her ear for songwriting. Her message sits upon a powerful I V IV (sometimes I V vi) progression delivered by a full-bodied piano and tasteful accents like an Fadd9 chord. We’re treated to delicate lead guitar and warm bass tones. The song is defined by a captivating melody that uses dissonant sevenths and seconds to widen its breadth and increase its impact. The vocoded harmony beneath it is both striking and stylish. It’s truly gripping and contributes largely to what makes the track so mesmerizing. It’s worth mentioning that producer Paul Moak gives “Type of Girl” a great atmosphere. His finishing touches are clear and meaningful.
I hear the distant echo of singer/songwriters like Nina Gordon and Tracy Bonham in Rian’s delivery. It has the lush, polished quality of the adult contemporary I grew up enjoying but with a tasteful infusion of Americana. Rian’s tough yet modest—coy yet confident. Her diction is perceptible; you can feel where she’s at in the story. It’s like taking a deep breath and then ripping off the bandage of a bad relationship.
Bridget Rian is originally from Long Island, NY and started developing her passion for songwriting in middle school. Flash forward to 2021, and she’s gearing up to release her debut EP in Music City under Lady Savage MGMT & PR titled Talking to Ghosts. It’s bound to be honest, personal, and full of feelings.
“Type of Girl” is anthemic. It offers solidarity in the act of separating from a toxic circumstance. Rian hits the ground running on the right foot by offering us a palliative piece full of encouragement to be ourselves.
Written by Matt Kalicky