Written by ∆³
I call it Coffee Shop Swag; It’s when a singer can aurally airlift a mood both captivatingly yet minimally, pretty much anywhere, especially in perhaps one those outdoor Mom and Pop coffee shops that most of us likely pass on our way to Starbucks. That’s the vibe that waves through Caroline Grace’s laid-back, lovey-dovey, and all the while, interchangeably lackadaisical Alternative Pop/R&B Single Release, “High.”
Caroline Grace is a 22 year old singing and songwriting gem, who started putting her own songs together at around the age of 14 in Los Angeles, California. While sharpening her songwriting skills at USC, she garnered nods from heavyweights in the recording industry like Billboard with the release of her first Single, “Show Me,” which was co-written by Justin Bieber hitmaker, Jason Boyd. Caroline has since gone on to put together her own record label, ‘Illuminate Creative Group,’ which is the label she records with. In an interview with Outloud Culture, Caroline says, “’I’ve always known I wanted to be a singer, and (I) was passionate about music. As I got older, that love for music grew into a passion for the music industry as well…It took a lot of trial and error, but through that I can truly say I found a love for the music industry, and (I) have found an identity, as a business person, and entrepreneur.’” Caroline’s catalogue of self catapulted tunes can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music.
“High” starts off like it has been dipped in a dismal, yet dainty, underground lounge, featuring a guitar, keyboard, and Caroline. Melodically and lyrically Caroline does more than merely expand about the pleasures and pains she’s balancing in her love affair; she also muses it for a picturesque open letter to her lover about where her hopes have taken her. Notable stanzas like, “I’ve never been high, but I’ve touched the sky… / I’ve never been high, but I’ve been with you…” surreal the listening experience that Caroline evolves throughout the song. “High,” as a title and track in its entirety, infers to listeners that love can take you higher than any drug ever could.
Caroline and her new single “High” could without a doubt grace through as one helluva unforgettable whimsical coffee shop performance. However, she’d also pull off the ‘no-how’ nuance of the booking, promotions, and mass marketing of that very same event. There is some brilliant songwriting and sonic presence that stand out as a few of the multi-faceted qualities that anoint this artist.
The ironic detail about “High” is that it has creatively spun together a solidly written, produced, and recorded anti-drug love song. I think it’s cool to have an alternative like this in an industry that may from time to time decorate the seesawing sensations of dating somewhat differently; It goes to show that creativity knows no bounds, and has a bit of deeper introspection into the journey of the new age of an artist, knowledge of the industry, as well as self-awareness.
“High” sounds like a star shining bright. When I think about stars, I think about the highest high one could aspire toward in order to shine. In relation to Caroline Grace and her new single, the song’s title along with the idea of her being a star in the music industry synonymously go hand in hand.
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