Raglan based singer/songwriter Soulti – otherwise known as Teresa Michels – is stepping out of the acoustic, electronica and DJ sets at places such as the iconic Yot Club, and is launching her debut single Evergreen. This one is a more thoughtful, introspective debut that a lot of your usual high energy, in-you-face debuts we often see.

Soulti says that the lyrics are about staying true to yourself no matter what. The basis for this is the decision to follow one’s heart and enter a career path outside of “the norm”, and to stay true to this chosen path. Admirable sentiments: I firmly believe in doing what we were meant to do. The phrase about making a fish climb a tree springs to mind.

The single itself is a synth layered pop number with a bewitching melody somewhat reminiscent of something Kate Bush would give us. In fact, think of some gentle Moby-esque instrumentation, add the vocal timbre of the lady from Evanescence, and a melody and tempo that the aforementioned Kate Bush would create, and you capture the audio essence of this song. It’s calm. It’s calculated, and well thought out. While the original file was recorded by Danny McCrum, the apparently omnipresent Scott Seabright mixed and mastered it. Honestly, the man is a machine! He’s everywhere. Has he got a real-life version of one of those dangly time-travel things that Hermione Grainger used so she could sit extra exams, or something?

Raglan filmmakers Elisabeth Denis and Kelly Fritz, keen drone hobbyist Dave Napper, and Auckland-based editor Louise Lever provided the visuals. From the EPK:  “Green is my favourite colour,” says Soulti, “I thrive when surrounded by nature, so shooting the music video in the luscious green landscapes across Whangaroa, Raglan, to depict the emotion and creativity in the ‘Evergreen’ storyline felt like synchronicity.  To show a deeper insight into my musical journey, there are flashes of a ‘red scene’, built by festival set designer Trace Berchelt, which was used to symbolise an adult version of a child’s hut. This was included for two reasons. The first, to create a nostalgic feel for the Art Deco building I wrote the song in at the time, while studying for my bachelor in music. The second was to show the dream I’ve had to sing and write music since childhood. The hourglass symbolises that, while time passed, the desire to write music remained, and grew stronger.”

I’m always honest about music that doesn’t sit in my lexicon of audio preferences. I have to confess this isn’t my chosen kind of sound, but I cannot take away from the quality and obvious calculation of this release. This is one that would go well on a long roadie, or listening at home at night, in introspective moments with the rain thumping on the roof, and the lights off letting the street lamps provide the only illumination.

Check Soulti out on all the social platforms, and give the vid a like. There’s going to be a 5 track E.P which I am going to keep an eye out for. Excellent debut. Kia Kaha!