Write Up By Hero Magnus
Chloe Caroline is a musician, a prolific songwriter, a film star, and an artsy California star. Today, Elicit Magazine is so excited to premiere her latest single “Golden Hour.”
It’s been a prolific year for Chloe Caroline, who just released an album called Everywhere I Go and is sharing this breezy new single right on its heels. Some of you might remember “Golden Hour” as the brilliant 2018 album by Kacey Musgraves. Although Caroline and Musgraves are very different, they share a similarly clear-sighted voice and vision.
“…this song has been in the works for 3 years. I brought the idea in 2017 and Emma Lynn White and I immediately knew we wanted to make it as close to perfect as we could… We wrote and recorded one version… we both had this urge to literally rewrite the entire thing, melodically, lyrically–the whole nine yards. So like a year later, we did, on my living room floor.”
Chloe Caroline
There are many lyrical gems in “Golden Hour.” Caroline emanates the vibe of an experienced, careful songstress. We’re loving like ‘kids running out of sun / soak it up before it’s gone,” she sings. This line reminds me of “betty” and “seven” on Taylor Swift’s most recent album. Both musicians summon childhood nostalgia in order to describe the innocence and joy of a relationship or a moment. And Caroline really helps us fall in love with the person she fell in love with. She sings about the time “before the rising of the moon / the way you moved when the sun set down on you.”
“Conceptually, this song is about looking back at a moment in time in a relationship that was at its “peak”. I think every relationship has its [figuratively] “moment in the sun” where things couldn’t be better, just like at golden hour, the absolute best time of day when nothing looks more perfect. Being able to look back and appreciate that is bittersweet, but so necessary in moving forward. I also think this song spans universally too, beyond just love–we’ve all had a summer we can’t forget with people we can’t forget, a memory that burns into our brain as being “it.”’
Chloe Caroline
The instrumental background is also creative, giving off a sweet and beachy vibe. The harmonies, guitar, and natural-sounding synths twinkle to wonderful effect. One of Caroline’s favorite bands is Fleetwood Mac, an influence reflected in the indie, easy kind of rock instrumentals.
“This song was totally its own little project. From our first run at it to the second run, we tried a variety of vibes. Ultimately, I wanted the production to have this almost Jackson 5 meets The Cranberries thing, a little funky but also cinematic. I wanted people to listen and immediately feel positively nostalgic, like they were in their own coming of age movie, but also have it feel fresh. We brought it to Justin Miller and knew he’d nail that. Emma and I sang all the BGVs parts together that we came up with, our friend Dean came in and played bass– it was so much fun.”
Chloe Caroline
The driving bridge is one of the best parts of Caroline’s “Golden Hour.” The drums build up in order to get us prepared for a head-bopping moment, which is thoroughly fulfilled as Caroline transitions into singing about bittersweet endings instead of happy beginnings.
“More than ever, people need hope and positivity and this is a feel-good song. I am very much an optimist and a dreamer, but I am also real and honest which is why I can acknowledge there is a lot of anxiety and fear in the world with all of the present unknowns. Staying positive, however, is the only personal choice I can make that I know will not only help me but radiate to others. This has been the strangest summer for everyone and as it’s coming to a close it’s easy to look back at past summers wishing you could time travel. However, the one thing that this year has taught us is to stop and appreciate what really matters most. It’s not the elaborate vacay to Hawaii, it’s the walk around the block with your best friend, it’s the take out picnic at sunset chatting about life. I sure hope there will be more “normal” summers again, but maybe we will realize one day looking back at now, that there were some pretty magical moments in all this weirdness.”
Chloe Caroline
The hook of this song hits just as hard every time we hear it: “even though it’s over / we both know / it was gold / it was ours / it was our golden hour.”
“What I want people to take from this is that although we admire the past, the truth is that when we were in that moment, it was the present. We were living fully in the present. So right now, we have just as much power to make the most out of this instant because this is all we have guaranteed–this is our golden hour even if we don’t realize it. You build those precious moments you one day look back on by doing exactly that.”
Chloe Caroline
Chloe Caroline has made a lot of song placements in film and television over the last few years. She’s featured as an actress in the movie “Love, Of Course.” Caroline plays a bartender and a singer-songwriter, and she wrote the film’s entire soundtrack as well as starring in it. She’s also written songs for various feature films and short films, dipping her toes into several artistic industries at once.
Be sure to send Chloe your favorite moments at golden hour or even you jamming out to the latest single! The singer-songwriter comments that she is ready to share. “I want to see you all living and having fun, it makes me happy,” says Chloe. It’s just the beginning of Chloe Caroline’s golden hour, and we’re so excited to keep watching her shine.
Without further ado, listen to Chloe Caroline’s “Golden Hour” below:
Watch the official lyric video below:
Check out how Chloe Caroline got started in music in our official interview with the singer-songwriter.
Follow Chloe Caroline