Sorcha Richardson's "First Prize Bravery" Finds the Beauty in Simplicity
Photo: Cà¡it Fahey
Sorcha Richardson can keep the rhythm. She began her musical journey as a drummer in her first band when she was 10. Many years later, the percussionist found her groove behind the microphone instead of the kit. After the release of several singles, including "Don't Talk About It" and "Butterflies," the Irish artist with impeccable indie-pop sensibilities is ready to debut her latest single, "First Prize Bravery."
Richardson's got a folky sort of charm. Her songs tug at the heartstrings and dance around the edge of classic soft rock and roll. Lyrically, her songs are always about the little moments in life. Those moments where life disappoints us and thrills us in the smallest of ways. Richardson left her home in Ireland to study creative writing in Brooklyn. It was there that she found her strength was in singing her own written compositions. She was the only one who could exude the true emotion she described.
Upon moving back to Dublin, she began her band and started touring. With influences from Arcade Fire, Phoebe Bridgers and Julia Jacklin, Richardson developed her own cult fan base. "First Prize Bravery" follows Richardson's previously-released "Honey," and with it comes the title track of her upcoming debut album, First Prize Bravery. The song is positive and tender. Richardson sings about the moments in life when we are let down, and how we should push forward. Richardson spoke on the inspiration for the song, sharing,
"This song started out as my attempt to make something that sounded like a track from the latest Feist album, Pleasure. It doesn't sound anything like that anymore, but it was originally full of really raw acoustic guitars and lo-fi vocals. It sums up a lot of what the album is about for me - the beauty found in life's ordinary moments and the bravery it takes to not allow disenchantment to cease your best efforts.“
"First Prize Bravery" is the sonic equivalent of walking in a field of daisies: unstinting, bright, and memorable.
Watch the lyric video for "First Prize Bravery" below and keep an eye out for Richardson's First Prize Bravery, set for release November 8:
