Folky, deep and gentle of spirit. That’s Amiria Grenell, as far as I am concerned.

Her new single, Lanterns, is designed as a follow up to previous release Romeo, which I was lucky enough to review earlier this year. This one is about the conflicting feelings of saying goodbye to someone you love; that heaviness contrasted by the excitement of the path becoming clouded and unknown once more.

There’s a lovely little mix of organic instruments here, from the anchoring acoustic guitar, through to strings and some delicious woodwind parts. As per the press release: written in a little cottage just south of Oamaru in Herbert, Lanterns was then recorded and produced in Christchurch at The Hut with Ryan Fisherman. The strings were performed by Tristan Carter and Charley Davenport, and recorded by Anna Edgington in Wellington, with the track then mastered by Mike Gibson at Munki Studios, also in Wellington.

If you’re the type who listens to the melodic musings of introversion during rainy afternoons, this is definitely the track for you. The video, shot and edited by Martin Sagadin, is a collection of walks in nature and isolated cottage life in rural Banks Peninsula. Capturing a pantheon of colour amongst green, backed with oddly non-threatening grey skies, it’s a mild pictorial extension to the song it’s accompanying.

Amiria has an incredible timbre. Clear as a mountain stream, yet warm as the sunlight. She was made to perform these folk-pop numbers. With her enigmatic smile and warm eyes, you will be enchanted. The song has the aforementioned strings, woodwind and guitars, and the melody takes one back to the heyday of great folk performers like Mary Hopkin or Joni Mitchell.

This genre is often underestimated in its influence across the wider industry. This singer shouldn’t be. Check her out and enjoy, like I do. Let’s celebrate accomplished songwriters and performers!