“It’s blissfully cathartic to hear such an angelic, ribbon-like voice calmly sing the words ‘I’m freaking out.’” – Paste
23-year-old Bristol musician Fenne Lily releases a new standalone single, “To Be A Woman Pt. 2,” her second song for Dead Oceans. Following the breezy “Hypochondriac,” “To Be A Woman Pt. 2” bounds with restlessness, an urge to start anew. Over a pacing drum beat and angsty, driving arpeggios, she maps the sound of knowing you’re in the wrong company. Throughout, Fenne inverts her more-often straightforward confessional style. Now the heartbreak is a background to her own internal monologue, advising against the pitfalls of her past.
“Usually when writing about rage, most of the initial anger I feel towards the person or situation becomes diluted through the recording process, but this song was different. ‘To Be a Woman Pt. 2’ is a call to arms,” says Fenne. “It’s raw and furious, coming from a place of frustration and pain born from a loss of control and a breach of trust. The result of a manipulative relationship, it’s both a retaliation against subordination and a reclamation of power.”
While “To Be A Woman Pt. 2” and “Hypochondriac” are introductions for most, Fenne’s self-released debut album, 2018’s On Hold, has stuck with many, quietly going viral, garnering play-after-play on streaming services. Fenne first took North American stages when she opened for Lucy Dacus and Andy Shauf. This August, Fenne makes her stateside return supporting Waxahatchee across the midwest. Then, she will tour across the United Kingdom and Europe.
Listen to “To Be A Woman Pt. 2”
https://ffm.to/to-be-a-woman-pt2
“Fenne Lily’s quaveringly intimate voice recalls the early works of Sharon Van Etten, particularly in the way she layers her own voice during choruses that ache and swoon. That almost jarringly beautiful effect jumps out in a minimalist mix that’s so stripped down, you can often hear fingers sweeping across guitar strings” – NPR Music
“Fenne Lily’s first song for Dead Oceans is heavy in its subject, but presented in a more subdued and light manner, building to a glowing climax across its three-minute runtime.” – Uproxx
Listen to “Hypochondriac”
