Clairo's "Closer to You" Is an Anesthetic for Growing Pains
Photo: Hart Leshinka
If you've been reading Ones to Watch over the last six months, you know that we can't speak highly enough about Clairo. The up-and-coming indie songstress exhibits depth far beyond her 20 years, using simple but captivating production to curate work that turns hearts to ash. Following the release of her single "Bags" in May, the Boston-born singer just dropped a second look at what's to come from her upcoming album IMMUNITY, a new single called "Closer to You."
While Clairo's earlier work evokes the starry-eyed daydreams of a teen with a long road ahead, "Closer to You" feels like we've opened a door into the more shadowy recesses of the singer's mind. Co-produced by Clairo and Rostam Batmanglij (formerly of Vampire Weekend), the introspective track features a sparse arrangement of murmuring bass and fluttering hi-hat as a blanket on which the artist guides us through the maze of her emotion. Clairo's vocal, run through a surreal, robo-pop filter, achingly utters, "Shut up / don't wanna hear it now, I'm fed up / Wish I could say it was enough to make me walk away / And I'm messed up / 'Cause every time I start to get up / I know my head feels fucked up, and I know it won't change."
"Closer to You," when examined in conjunction with her previous release "Bags," lays the groundwork for what we can expect off of IMMUNITY. Both tracks present an otherworldly minimalism, emphasizing the candid feelings of uncertainty that the artist faces as she continues to unravel the often-bitter truths of adulthood. If these two tracks are anything to go by, Clairo's full-length debut will be a harrowing coming-of-age story delivered with an anesthetic shot of lo-fi production.
Currently, the singer is supporting Khalid on and arena tour across the United States. Grab tickets, and check out "Closer to You" before IMMUNITY drops on Aug. 2.
