Foxes has shared her new single, ‘Kathleen’, along with details of her forthcoming new EP, Friends in the Corner, set for release on April 1.
English singer-songwriter Foxes has dropped her newest single ‘Kathleen’ ahead of her forthcoming EP, Friends in the Corner, out April 1.
‘Kathleen’ (produced by Courage and Charlie Hugall) acts as an ode to the songstress’ grandmother, Kathleen, as the UK eases lockdown after a year of social distancing.
Kathleen was a political activist, feminist, devoted environmentalist and English teacher in the 70’s. This inspired Foxes, real name Louisa Rose Allen, to read and write poetry which eventually led to her becoming a musician.
Their relationship is reflected in the music video, directed by Florence Kosky, with two generations of ballerinas, reminiscent of dollhouse scenes.
Foxes says,
“My grandma, Kathleen, has always given really good advice so on one visit I thought, ‘why am I not recording this?’. A couple of weeks later in the studio I happened to be going through my voice notes of random melodies and lyrics I’d saved and stumbled across her words of wisdom and within 20 minutes we’d written it with all her advice from the notes. I kept that exact recording of her talking at the end of the song. I don’t think I’d be a songwriter without her.
For me, Kathleen closes the chapter of the last year. Focussing on creativity during lockdown has been essential for me –it’s given me so much strength and positivity. Almost without realising, I ended up writing a whole new album. The new songs have a really different energy and need to exist together as a record. But first I need to release Kathleen as it’s such a special song for me and just seems so right for now. It felt right to wrap these songsup together as an EP before the new album gets released later this year.”
Entering the music industry at age 19, Foxes made waves in the pop music world with her critically-lauded debut album Glorious and Grammy-winning EDM collaboration ‘Clarity’ with Zedd.
In 2017, the singer decided it was time to press pause and focus on herself. Friends in the Corner is about facing tough experiences that eventually lead her to press pause, and the effects of having your confidence diminished.
The EP will feature previously released singles ‘Love Not Loving You’, ‘Friends in the Corner’, ‘Hollywood’, ‘Woman’, and the newly released ‘Kathleen’. Unheard tracks ‘Courage’, ‘Dance’, and an acoustic version of ‘Kathleen’ is also included in the new record.
Photo credit: Hollie Fernando
