It’s been a fair while since we heard from British songwriter Lissy Taylor, having repeatedly featured this rising talent back in 2020 for the release of her Wildflowers EP. We were struck then by the ferocity of her performance and skillful songwriting in each track and the same can be said of her recent single ‘Healer’.
As with all her songs, it’s Taylor‘s powerhouse voice which leads the way with it’s subtle Americana style and frontwoman-worthy growls. Where ‘Healer’ departs slightly from her earlier work is in the rockier style that she’s opting for here, which is no doubt inspired by the bustling indie music scenes of her hometown Stoke-on-Trent and her university city Manchester. From the very beginning, our ears are greeted by those reverb-heavy guitar strums and tapping drums, over which Taylor sets the scene with smokey and somewhat withdrawn tones. After this brief introduction, the track unveils its true identity as a rip-roaring pop-rock number with thumping percussion, layered guitars and anthemic chorus. You really can’t help but sing-along with Taylor‘s triumphant cries “I’m a healer!” as she claims her dedication to this song, the relationship on which she’s reflecting on and (one could argue) the music industry as a whole. After all, that’s the experience we have every time we listen to a Lissy Taylor track – it’s complete commitment to her craft.
Speaking about what this song means to her, the emerging artist herself tells us: “Healer is unwavering devotion pushed to the limits. Healer is giving everything you can give. Inspired by people who go above and beyond to help others, rooted in selflessness and unconditional love.”
The black-and-white music video also holds clues as to the greater meaning behind ‘Healer’ with intermittent scenes of a supposed mother and daughter in apparent disconnect and even arguing at points. However, as we approach the end of the video, a calming hand on the shoulder of the daughter and the intimacy of hand-holding across the table shows that nothing can truly break this pair’s special connection. Like Lissy Taylor herself states right at the start of the track, “You know, I’d do anything / Leave it all behind, / Yeah, I’d drop everything, / If you needed me anytime.”
In conclusion, Lissy Taylor‘s emphatic single ‘Healer‘ demonstrates the complex nature of unconditional love; it’s not always easy, but it’s always there.
You can also listen to ‘Healer’ in our Indie Rockers playlist.
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