Getting back into music after time away is one thing. Getting back into music with a song called “Silence” is another. Becky Arundel, a songwriter from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, is ready to return and she’s doing so with a fresh band.
The title “Silence” does get us thinking: could this be about devastating heartbreak? A relationship gone awry? Or the absolutely tragic feeling of someone not replying to your messages? Yes, and. That means whatever you want it to mean.
Arundel, who began performing as a teenager, spent five years honing her songwriting at BIMM London and recording songs with award-winning producer Jamie Sellers. That’s a fair chunk of time to work on her craft, and her time away from performing makes this return feel like a chance to pick up the conversation again.
That conversation falls somewhere in the mix of pop, country, and folk. Inspired by artists like Luke Combs, Adele, and Amy Macdonald, Arundel draws from an eclectic set of influences: Combs brings a country edge, Adele knows her way around a huge vocal, and Macdonald makes folk-pop feel instantly accessible. The single’s description sums up how these influences shape Arundel’s music: “big vocals, big choruses and folk influences.”
And those big choruses seem particularly, if not ironically, suited to a song like “Silence.” Its cinematic, buoyant sound brings to mind a sweeping Disney ballad or a Eurovision entry gearing up for its big moment. It’s the kind of musical drama that practically begs for a chorus to soar, with enough emotional heft to make you imagine the camera pulling back as the singer reaches the final note. Subtlety is not necessarily the point; sometimes you want a song to go big and commit to the bit.
Yet there is something appealing about the context of this release, too. After stepping away from performing and returning to her hometown, Arundel is preparing to release music with new bandmates by her side. It’s a reminder that a life in music doesn’t always follow a straight line. Sometimes you have to step back to work out whether you still have something to say.
“Silence” marks the next chapter for a songwriter who has spent years developing her craft and is now ready to take it beyond the rehearsal room. Whether its grand, uplifting sound can make its emotional message land is ultimately what will matter most.
But if Arundel’s return is anything to go by, sometimes stopping isn’t the last word. Sometimes it’s just the pause before the big chorus.
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About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for various publications around the world, the former lead writer of review blogspace Atop The Treehouse and content creator for Manila Bulletin.
