Using music as a form of emotional communication is something that the young troubadour, Connor Selby, has seized and on his new single, the intoxicating folky ballad “Amelia.” You can watch the video HERE.
The song is the latest single taken from the fast-rising singer-songwriter’s new album, The Truth Comes Out Eventually, which will be released on 29 August via Provogue.
The song has been around in one shape or another since his teenage years, when his musical diet consisted mainly of Nick Drake, and it sees Selby creatively spread his wings.
It’s another example of his new album being used as an emotional release valve. Talking about it, he says, “Amelia is a song that I’ve kept with me for many years. It’s been lurking at the back of my mind since my late teens, but I never quite knew what to do with it and wasn’t sure if it fit with the rest of the music I was making. Now I’m not as concerned, and I don’t feel like the song has to justify its own existence. This album felt like the perfect time to finally share it with the world, as it explores all the different aspects of my artistry and is fundamentally about trying to get to the core of who I am, as an artist and person. The song was written about someone dear to me many years ago who was struggling with mental health issues and about my feelings of helplessness in not really being able to do anything to help her, but still loving and caring about her nonetheless.
Authentic, roots-based voices have penetrated the mainstream in recent years, from the soulful yearns of early Leon Bridges, the groove of Gary Clark Jr., the booming voice of Jacob Banks, the raw and haunting delivery of Ray LaMontagne or the earthy tones of Rag ‘n Bone Man – those voices cut through, and they stand out, they make you take notice because they don’t sound like everyone else.
Selby’s voice echoes these trailblazers, enveloping his music with an emotional integrity. He delves deep into his soul, all the way down into his core and the feeling of belonging. “The songs are about my feelings of being in the world and not really feeling like I belong,” he explains.
“Amelia” follows “The Truth Comes Out Eventually,” which is about the feeling of not knowing or not being able to be the person that others expect of you, and the despair and confusion this brings, trying to navigate a world where you feel like you’re playing by a different set of rules than everyone else.
The heart-fluttering groove of the album opener and his first single, “Someone,” sees Selby in full bandleader mode. You’re drawn in when he sings, “When there’s someone you can speak your mind without a care, when there is someone that really cares about you.”
The young multi-award-winning musician has collaborated with Mark Knofler; he has supported The Who at Wembley Stadium and shared the stage at London’s Hyde Park Festival alongside the likes of Pearl Jam and Stereophonics. He has toured with powerhouse singer Beth Hart, including a performance at the iconic London Palladium. His glittering tour CV has included shows with Robert Cray, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Betty LaVette, and P.P. Arnold.
We can all only be who we are. Once you’re happy with yourself, you can be happy with life. But you need to find yourself first. “You can try and fake it, but the truth will come out eventually,” he reflects. “So you might as well make peace with it.”
With every release, we’re learning a little more about Selby. On The Truth Comes Out Eventually, he truly explores all facets of his musicality—Is he a ballroom big band leader? Is he a smouldering guitar hero? Or is he a delicate, folky troubadour? In truth, he is all of these things and more.
