Beneath the musical flash of her warm and engaging production template, on her latest single “My Someone”, Presley Duyck has changed only to the extent that she is more confident in her abilities as a writer and performer. She remains a meticulous lyricist with a profound personal perspective. She is deeply focused on the power of language, even when language doesn’t serve, considering her expressive vocals do the job of communicating just as convincingly. On each new release she keeps she’s digging deeper, with the same diligence and abundance of talent she’s been drawing from all along. Her music continues to explore intersections of sentimental identities, emotional states, and self-awareness, and her brooding, thoughtful lyrics often benefit from the earthy, organic production values that let her words do most of the talking.
The sweeping harmonic sound and lyrical intimacy of “My Someone” strikes me as being perfect for the late summer nights of 2022, when deep pondering under the starlit sky is an essential part of healing emotional scars. “It’s been a longtime since I’ve been to the city. It’s been a longtime since you called me pretty. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen your face. Don’t you want to turn around and see the mess you’ve made,” sings Presley Duyck, as she unpacks the narrative. What’s exciting about the song is how it opens the world up to Presley, and similarly, how it opens Presley up to the world.
One of Presley Duyck great gifts as a songwriter is her relatability. She communicates longing, loss and doubt, in plain terms, sprinkling in desires, pleas to Jesus, internal monologue, and other focused songwriting devices, delivering it all through a voice that simmers with emotion.
Presley doesn’t just make you feel, she makes the whole experience feel authentic and tangible. Her voice is immediately striking in its ability to convey the storyline so well, it’s as if she’s really feeling it all right at the moment of recording.
“Oh won’t you please write me a letter. Calligraphy would be even better. Please sign your name with a bunch of little hearts,” sings Presley, before moving towards the chorus. Behind her, the emotional strings, clean acoustic guitars, resonant piano, and rolling percussion build a mesmerizing backdrop that ebbs and flows with majestic ease.
The breezy melody Presley provides is infectious and bright, and the moment when the song’s instrumentation pares back only for Presley to emerge for the song’s final lines, is one of the most blissful moments in its runtime.
For the last year and a half, Presley Duyck has been releasing songs like this, which are welcoming, intimate and distinct. It’s hard to imagine things going wrong from here. Fully cementing and expanding the vision she began on her debut, “My Someone” is distinctly purposeful in its immersive moves. It’s fresh enough to feel like a new take yet familiar enough to find its audience, who are in for a treat.
Presley Duyck’s voice swoons when required, but always remains focused on synthesizing the song’s imagery. The singer-songwriter from Dallas, Texas, once again announces herself as one of the most talented and intriguing young creators in the modern indie pop universe. “My Someone” drops officially on June 17th.
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