A dreamy voice sends love overboard in pursuit of herself, cooing, “I’ve got a big heart in my hard drive, an even bigger calling.” French-Congolese singer-songwriter Claudia Isaki has released “Deck 5,” her latest single, ahead of her debut album, Everywhere You Go, There You Are.
Through soft cymbal hits and a groovy bass guitar, Isaki delivers a blow to a lover in a peaceful send-off. Her caramel-smooth voice floats over the jazzy, R&B combination, giving a sound similar to Olivia Dean‘s.
She loops the refrain, singing, “You’d be another lover to say goodbye to / I should’ve known better / You’d be another one / Don’t need another one.” A saxophone cuts through at the end, raising an alarm sound that reflects the singer’s growing awareness to move on.
Born in Paris, Isaki then moved to London, where she shaped her next collection of music. In a listening party, Isaki shared that the move helped form the single’s lyrics:
“I take the risk of disappointing some people by saying I’m just a girl, and this is a song about a guy. I moved to London. I met someone in Paris, and I was like, ‘I have to put myself first.’ I’ve got my career. I’ve got dreams. When I moved here, I was traveling by bus and boat, so I was always on a ferry. It’s called Deck 5, and it’s saying goodbye to that lad.”
Isaki releases her debut album on October 16.
