néomí has continued her streak of contemplative and reflective singles with new release “It’s Never Easy (Leaving Someone Behind).” The slow folk ballad gives listeners a glimpse into the internal monologue of the singer-songwriter as she dissects feelings of loss and grief.
Starting with a soft guitar, néomí gives the song a unique texture with a deep and changing synth. The song keeps a slow pace as the singer laments about a love lost as a piano joins in the chorus, giving some weight to the song against the soft guitar and drum beat. There is a woodwind instrumental sitting in the back of the mix that adds to the etherealness of the song. Stripping back to the guitar and drums with choir-like vocal doubling in the bridge circles back to the original, bare emotional message. néomí’s folk sound is the most focused it ever has been with these recent singles and it’s exciting to see where she takes this sound in upcoming projects.
This song is a contemplation on the hardship of leaving someone behind. Time is a major motif throughout the song, with lines such as “give it time but who am I” and “hope that time will tell me how to ease it.” Adding to the melancholy of this message is the reminder that “there’s no growing left to do,” other than to fight through grief. Imagery is a major strength of néomí and the second verse serves to highlight this talent. The line “my feathers die petrified that I’ll turn back” offers listeners a striking visual of a person quite literally falling apart, emphasising how “it’s never easy to leave someone.” néomí’s songwriting abilities are always a pleasure to write about and this new single doesn’t shy away from highlighting what makes the singer-songwriter an incredible storyteller.
“It’s Never Easy (Leaving Someone Behind)” is another addition to a fixture of stunning recent singles by folk artist néomí with its beautiful music and lyrics. The song is out now on all platforms.
