More about: Birdy

If you think you know what you’re getting from a Birdy album, think again. Expecting intimate piano ballads, I was swept into the synth filled opening track ‘Paradise Calling.’ A burst of energy, and an upbeat assertion of ‘all I ever wanted was something to believe in’, Birdy throws you headfirst into the album. This is the liberation of an artist finding their voice. 

It's not a coincidence then that a lot of the songs ponder the idea of letting go of something. Both ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘Automatic’ delve into tumultuous relationships and the emotional wreckage of leaving them behind. Yet in the wake of the turmoil, Birdy stands triumphant amongst the upbeat production. Both are classic alt-pop hits, boasting infectiously catchy hook and 80s inspired synths. 

Birdy is firmly planting her song writing into a space of 80s influenced alt-pop on Portraits. Whilst 80s inspired pop is not difficult to find in any capacity, Portraits’ willingness to experiment and sense of liberation pulls you into Birdy’s world. ‘Raincatchers’ feels like something out of Kate Bush’s songbook, balancing the building of violins with a lyrical dreamscape of nostalgia and yearning. 

This lyrical ability to pull you into the world of her songs shines on Portraits. ‘I Wish I Was a Shooting Star’ is a sparkling moment of swirling production details and lyrical melancholy, pondering: ‘the universe seems unfair, maybe mine is broke.’  

"you can hear Birdy elevate from a singer-songwriter into a true artist, constructing a thorough aesthetic world"

On Portraits, Birdy blends these experimental production moments with the ethereal tones of her vocals and her intimate lyricism. Bridging across the album ‘Ruins I’ and later track ‘Ruins II’ see Birdy weaving motifs of heartbreak and escape across the album. It is in moments like this that you can hear Birdy elevate from a singer-songwriter into a true artist, constructing a thorough aesthetic world and concept.

In fact, Birdy creates such a distinct aesthetic on Portraits, that at times a return to what we expect from her sounds out of place. ‘Your Arms’, whilst a stunning display of song-writing, feels misplaced and easily overlooked on the album. Instead, Birdy’s piano origins shine in title track ‘Portraits’, which builds alongside layered vocal effects. It is this willingness to explore reinvention that sees Portraits at its best. As with the album as a whole, closing track ‘Tears Don’t Fall’ looks to the past to move forward: ‘we were happy, look at us, we were dancing.’ 

Reinvention is liberation for Birdy on Portraits. Embracing her creative power, Birdy finds her voice not simply as a song-writer but as an artist. Stepping into a new light, Birdy is stepping into her true artistic self.  

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More about: Birdy