Amelie Lucille – Amelie Lucille

Performing music at a high level with soul and real ‘feel’ will always have a certain magic to it. To put yourself in the shoes of another and write empathetically is a gift given to the wise and the experienced. To accomplish both these things at 14 is an impressive feat and only adds to the magic and mystique of young phenom, Amelie Lucille. The New York-based folk singer-songwriter is treading the same ground as Dylan and Baez making a name for herself in venues like Greenwich Village’s storied The Bitter End. Armed with jazzy inflections and a voice that straddles between breathy coo and soaring songbird, Lucille creates a wistful painting of shattered loves. Like a weary time-traveller weighed upon by knowledge they should not yet have. The self-titled EP Amelie Lucille is deeply confessional without falling too deep into the trappings of teenage melodrama.

There’s a certain confidence that comes with opening an album with a capella vocals. The singer is proving that they are capable of holding the record afloat without any accompaniment. Lucille’s voice is strong and present yet rounds out with a soft lilt. Thoughtful minor chords join her ponderous verse. ‘Mess’ is an astute observation about desperately holding on to a bad situation because it is more comfortable to stick with the familiar. Violin courtesy of Carolin Pook reinforces the ache in her voice.

‘Token’ and ‘Disposable Cameras’ have more of an Americana twang. Warmly rounded chord changes and wind-in-the-wheat-fields fiddle to haunt the mood and swarm the melody. ‘His Song’ is a direct line from her bedroom to his. Longing, adversity, inner turmoil, and heartbreak openly confessed. Lucille’s voice jumps to falsetto and back seamlessly. She joins herself in harmony with chords that fall gracefully like feathers on the wind. ‘The Call’ introduces more earnest strumming detailing a bittersweet phone call breakup. The album ends on an odd note with the closer ‘Because of You’, a full band radio pop track. Clearly included to show off Lucille’s range, it does topple the balance of the record that until now had a delicate hushed tone. The song itself is perfectly fine but perhaps would have been better if released as a single rather than the album’s final statement.

Amelie Lucille is an impressive expression from a performer who is often described as an old soul. Her vocal technique is highly refined, weaving her way through complex and subtle melodies effortlessly. Her vocals transcend age, echoing feelings that belong to someone who has lived a lot more of their life. The comparisons to Billie Eilish in terms of her downtempo/acoustic work are unavoidable as she too has demonstrated a greatly affecting presence since the age of 14. However, Lucille has her own very distinct voice and has plenty of new territory to explore in her successful career to come.