I listen to something new, virtually every day. Our curation methods for what makes the cut are pretty fool-proof already, so while I make an effort to go in with as few expectations as I can, I always safely assume that I will enjoy each new song or EP, or whathaveyou that's sitting in my inbox. With that said, it takes something truly special to blow me away. Today, I am blown away by Australian singer and songwriter Scarlet Gee. The 16-year-old songstress has been -unsurprisingly- an artist and performer from the age of 5, and as such she's been refining the impressive talent she has today for most of her life, particularly in musical theater, where she's had stage appearances in in 'Disney's The Little Mermaid, 'Jesus Christ Superstar', 'Oliver', 'Disney's Beauty and the Beast', 'The Addams Family' and most recently as a lead in 'Alice in Wonderland.
Scarlett's newest release is called "All The Things". A stunningly mature song that serves as a catch-all heartbreak ballad for those relationships that die out for no particular reason, or as Scarlett herself describes it: "The end of a relationship because of personal turmoil rather than anyone doing something wrong and the pain of the person left behind.” Scarlett's flair for the theatrical and dramatic is not lost whatsoever on me, as she imbues some of that musical stageplay acting into the emotional space of the track, making the lyrics sink in just that little bit deeper. But what exactly blew me away you ask? It was definitely her voice. Scarlett has a velvety, smokey croon -you know, that pulp Noir novel lounge singer's timbre that's relentlessly romantic, blues-y, and iconic. Overall a very big sound, one that's stunning to hear out of a 16-yer-old girl's mouth, but one she nonetheless has the emotional gravitas to inhabit and use to its fullest potential. Not only does she have a great gift, she's also been put in a position where she can develop it to new heights throughout her entire life. And "potential" is the word of the day here. For as much as I enjoyed "All The Things", I am convinced that it is far from the best that we can expect out of Scarlett Gee, whose entire career is laid out right in front of her, and it's just as fortunate for us that we can get to witness her becoming the great artist she will be.
FOLLOW SCARLETT