Friends

Katie Kittermaster

‘We can still be friends…’ Five well intentioned words that when spoken can ease the guilt of the one causing the heartbreak but for the one hearing them can swirl up mixed emotions. On the one hand there is hope that you will not loose contact with this person who has been a large part of your life. While in the back of your mind there is fear that your heart could get broken all over again because you know you can’t just switch off how you are feeling. This feeling of uncertainty and the acknowledgement of its complications are things that have been channeled and fully realised in the latest single from rising star Katie Kittermaster.

One major element to all of Katie’s previous releases is her sincere delivery of her vocals, no matter the subject matter. So pairing this with quite an emotionally driven subject can only result in something worth listening to. From its opening Friends immediately tip toes into your ears with a gentle piano line coupled with an easy and equally gentle vocal line. Both elements carry the song throughout and never stray to far from its minimalist intentions. As the song moves forwards its adds various atmospheric elements that help to elevate the song at the right moments but even then they are merely background support designed to leave the focus on Katies voice and lyrics.

Lyrically the track fully embraces the subject of trying to be friends with someone after a break up. In the first verse we receive almost an inner monologue of how someone would feel sitting across from the one that broke their heart but is still trying to keep up a lesser relationship. “….I’ve been tracing the freckles on your face so that I can make a painting of you in my head….” This line not only captures the anguish of the situation but also acknowledges the inevitability that being ‘friends’ will not work. “….Isn’t it great that we can sit here as mates? But I think it’s so God damn unfair….” Again an acknowledgement of the tension of this situation and the frustration at knowing it isn’t going to work, no matter how much you want it to.

The song continues on with the lyrics exploring both the frustration and also an almost apologetic hope that things could workout. “….I wish I could hold my head up high…” a nice line that leads us into the prechorus hook that wistfully exposes the fantasy of making things work but again, due to Katie’s delivery carries a underlying note of sadness. The chorus then really drives the point home by opening to flood gates on the mixed emotions and openly acknowledging with its final lines that this situation was doomed from the start “….Trust me I’ve tried to pretend, you’ll just break my heart in the end….we can’t be friends….” These lines while quite heartbreaking allow the song to achieve its own kind of closure. That by openly admitting that being friends won’t work, Katie/the narrator in the song, takes back the power of the situation and protects themselves from any further heartbreak.

Overall there is not much more left for me to say about this single. By tackling a highly relatable subject people should have no problems in placing themselves into the song and maybe even find a way to move on from their own experiences. This song also adds another merit to Katie’s songwriting record and goes someway to realising her potential to become an outstanding pop artist that could capture the hearts of her audiences. So check out the track and be sure to follow Katie as it is only a matter of time before she becomes a big name all over the radio.

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