Hailing from San Francisco, Mercer Henderson AKA Mercer, began her career as a singer/songwriter at the tender age of 13 when she wrote her first song. By 14 she had released a single titled “Bittersweet,” and now, at 19, she is attending the Clive Davis Institute at NYU. Mercer has used social media to build a steady following and it’s paying off: her new single, “Strangers,” had 15k presaves on Spotify upon its release on June 23rd.
The first notes of “Strangers” come in the form of a soft synth/organ sound, reminiscent of Hayley Williams’ 2020 song “Crystal Clear,” before breaking into Mercer’s subtle yet strong vocal. She doesn’t waste time or cut corners in the lyric delivery, sending a direct message to the subject of the song from the opening: “You say that I’m not being honest/ So tell me why you run around the city talkin’ ‘bout me/ Thought that we had much more in common/ But now we’re just two strangers in the same apartment.” The last line may be simple, but it cuts deep, and anyone who has ever had a falling out with a friend or significant other that they’ve lived with will heavily relate to it.
Throughout the song Mercer’s influences are obvious without carrying an overbearing resemblance. It’s not surprising that the artist loves such singer/songwriters as Julia Michaels, Gracie Abrams, or Tate McRae, but the listening experience of “Strangers” is a special one and doesn’t feel derivative. Hear it for yourself below:
You can listen to “Strangers” on platforms like Apple Music, Soundcloud, and Spotify.
