Seventeen-year-old singer-songwriter Ivy James unveils her EP, Ghost of You, which explores the acceptability of feeling big feelings and divorcing the idea that everything should be handled with refinement.
James explains, “Sometimes you just need to lose your mind, you know? Just be messy, get it all out, and just not care at all about people’s response. ‘Ghost of You’ means just that, what people have done to me and who they will become is something I just can’t control and it is not a part of me or my story anymore, it’s just a bunch of ghosts in my rearview mirror.”
A collaboration with well-regarded producer Mr Hudson, Ghost of You was mixed and mastered by renowned musician and engineer Paul Hicks.
A California native, James is a self-taught musician, singer, and songwriter. Her compositions resonate with a depth and complexity that belies her age, weaving together lyrics and melodies that are dynamically rich and uniquely original.
Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of influences including Phoebe Bridgers, Title Fight, Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Nicks, James found her true calling within music.
Set to graduate high school next year, James has begun collaborating with Mr Hudson and writer/musician Michael Tighe. Collaborating has enhanced her sound, as well as amplified her creativity.
James has performed at Sofar Sounds, The Troubadour, Whiskey a Go Go, WFNM, Hotel Café, and Saint Rocke. While preparing for live shows, James arranges every part of each song and composes intricate harmonies.
Of the five tracks on Ghost of You, entry points include “1973 Slasher Movie,” opening on a soft, gleaming guitar back by evocative strings. James’ voice, at once delicate and potent, reveals nuanced tones aglow with deep emotion.
Darker and slower, “Bathroom Sink” drifts and then begins to glide on gentle surfaces. As the rhythm enters, James’ vocals take on passionate, mobile textures, mounting to spiraling timbres. Radiant harmonies add depth and dimension to a beautiful melody.
“Ivory” opens on low-slung sparkling colors as James’ vocals infuse the lyrics with delicious haunting tones, almost diaphanous with alluring surfaces. This might be the best track on a wonderful EP.
Structured on velvety sonic collages, Ghost of You features gorgeously spare guitars and the silky, gilded voice of Ivy James.
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