We all may remember Birdy from her cover of ‘Skinny Love’ by Bon Iver, but over the years since that release, she’s proven just how much of a fantastic musician she is. As well as a songwriter.
Outside of her 2011 self-titled album, which was filled with cover songs, she released her first official debut album, Fire Within. The album showed her potential as a songwriter and it was easy to see that the then 17 year old Birdy had a bright future ahead of her. She followed that release with Beautiful Lies three years later.
It’s been five years since Birdy released Beautiful Lies. Since the release, listeners were left with the same old question we all wonder when an artist releases something new, “So, when is the next album coming out?”
Finally, fast forward to 2020, Birdy released a new extended play - Piano Sketches, Which was absolutely beautiful and gave the glimmer of hope for another new album release from her, especially after four years.
In January, she released her first single off the album, Surrender. We also learned that the album was going to be titled,Young Heart. Just listening to that song once, it gave you an idea of what we could expect from what was to come. It felt as though that in the five years since the release, her voice just became more and more beautiful.
Now, the day of the album’s release, my expectations were met. Upon first listening to the album’s intro, ‘The Witching Hour’, I felt like I was going to be heading on some sort of mystical journey.
Throughout this 16 track album, each piece continued to get better and better. Birdy’s songwriting showed a lot of growth from her two previous albums and overall, I was right about feeling like I was going on a mystical journey.
The piano, the lyrics, Birdy’s voice - it was nothing short of magical. She certainly has not lost the charm she first introduced to us ten years ago when she first released her Skinny Love cover.
Though we waited five years for this album, it turned out to be worth it in the end.
Recommended Tracks: The Otherside, River Song, Deepest Lonely, Celestial Dancers, + New Moon.