Phoebe Green unveils empowering first track from upcoming EP
Phoebe Green is proving boldness and introspection are in.
Photo by Sara Carpentieri
Manchester artist Phoebe Green’s latest single, Embarrass Me, marries reflective musings on adulthood with explosive motifs and an infectious beat.
Following a series of catchy, alternative-pop tunes, including last year’s I Can’t Ride A Bike and her 2022 album Lucky Me, the track marks the first release from the indie artist’s new EP Ask Me Now, which is due to be released on 24 May.
Overlaid by the smooth, celestial vocals that have become characteristic of Green’s sound, the song is the latest of a string of releases to affirm the Manchester singer’s position on the map as one of music’s rising stars.
As expected from the acute depth of her past releases– which feel like prized discoveries from the first listen– Embarrass Me showcases Green’s thoughtful reflections on change and hurt. Lashings of frustration and affirmations of self worth amidst manipulation see her masterfully give voice to the aches of a generation. Drawing inspiration from the dramatic, dizzying change that accompanies our early twenties and launches us into a wealth of struggles, Green explores adulthood’s forced upheaval of unburdened youth through a relatable alt-pop lens.
“It’s about mourning something before it’s over - being aware of a dynamic and the repetition of it but feeling completely trapped,” Green explained.
“I love emotional pop music so much, I feel like I can only do that when I’ve mostly healed from something otherwise I want it to sound as miserable as I feel (lol), but I think there is a franticness that comes with grief that makes me not want to be still, and a relief that comes with feeling distance from it now.”
Following her departure from former label Chess Club Records, the single comes as Green navigates a self-directed approach to her musical practice, opting to work with producer Steph Marziano on the track (Picture Parlour, Bartees Strange, Hayley Williams).
“When I started writing with Steph, it was such a different environment and it just felt so easy,” said Green. “I just felt really understood and that really helped me to actually say what I wanted to say, and not feel like I had to censor it or overcomplicate it or make it easier to digest.”
The artist’s newfound freedom is unabashedly evident. With a new EP on the horizon and a pair of upcoming shows in London, Phoebe Green is ever evolving, diving deeper into a uniquely reflective sound injected with youthful wisdom and remarkably infectious sounds.