On her moody, immersive new single ‘Take Me to Paradise,’ California singer-songwriter Natasha Jane Julian constructs a blissful, romantic view of love – and then shatters it all within three minutes. It’s yet another single which shows just how enigmatic this artist is
Natasha Jane Julian shared her latest single, ‘Take Me to Paradise,’ before her first full-length album in May.
Having won comparisons to Lana Del Rey and Sia throughout her career, Natasha began recording and sharing songs eight years ago, quickly earning herself a sizeable listenership.
In 2019, she released her debut EP Angel, which saw her collaborate with the Grammy Award-winning producer Dom Morley. The EP was a significant moment for the artist, as it showed Natasha’s fans that she had a flair for trip-hop and art-pop originality.
Flashforward five years, and Natasha is finally getting ready to release her debut album, Beauty That Lies. Judging by the album singles released so far – ‘Pink Roses,’ ‘Singing In The Rain,’ and ‘Devil Eyes’ – BTL is set to be Natasha’s most trailblazing work. These songs showcased an artist who appears to have arrived at a distinctively blissful trip-hop sound after a long, dark battle with the heart. Natasha says that she wants her music to “soothe the souls” of her listeners – but you get the impression that she’s an artist who’s had to fight tooth and nail with her emotions to get to this place.
‘Take Me to Paradise’ is an acutely enigmatic song. It veers between being a soothing, easy-listening trip-hop track that wouldn’t seem out of place on any streaming site’s Chill Mix playlists and a genuinely arresting art-pop song focused on the emotional upheavals of love.
In discussing her music, Natasha says she is inspired by “confessional” songwriting, which is apparent here. In ‘Take Me to Paradise,’ she guides listeners through a doomed relationship, highlighting the red flags even from the first line. She admits that she was in a “trance and daze” when she first met her soon-to-be-lover, but they would leave her “broken” when the pair called it quits. She pines for a half-formed idea of paradise – “Say you’ll take me paradise/Will it be like I dreamed about…Will it be like the movies?” – but the song makes it heartbreakingly clear that she knows the idea of “paradise” is an illusion.
This is excellent songwriting, fitting for an immaculately produced song. It gives the impression that Natasha Jane Julian is at the peak of her powers – and this is undoubtedly good news for everyone excited about her debut album.
‘Take Me to Paradise’ is out now. Natasha Jane Julian’s debut album, Beauty That Lies is released on May 10. For more information on the artist, visit her website.
Post Views: 1,788
