Double J Pick of the Week: Rosie Lowe

Rosie Lowe
Woman

Woman, the deep, stark and straightforward first single from London singer Rosie Lowe’s long-awaited forthcoming debut album Control. 

She sums up the song’s theme early on – ’You’d never know what it’s like to be a woman’ – before getting more specific on the issue of body image towards the end.

’I have analysed every single inch of my skin / And comparisons I can’t seem to break in my daily routine / I find myself obsessing imperfections that only I see / And I know it’s such a waste but the pressure is getting to me’

Much of the song’s power comes from the fact that Lowe shows vulnerability. She’s not telling anyone to change the way they think, she’s standing beside them. She doesn’t pretend to know about their struggles, but she shares hers in the hope that it will help.

While the emotion is raw, its delivery isn’t aggressive. Lowe’s voice is warm and rich. The pacing of her vocals makes every line sound considered; she means every word.

The taut production is a perfect accompaniment to her voice. A lone, soulful Rhodes piano starts the song quietly, but that gives way to woozy synths, a crisp electro pop beat and inventive backing vocals that turn the whole thing into a complex neo-soul stunner.