Today, we’re excited to introduce Canadian singer-songwriter Veronica Raine with her debut release ‘August’. It has arrived perfectly on time for this late-summer month, which some might associate with last-minute vacations, the last few long evenings and soaking up those dwindling rays of sun. However, for others this time of year throws up more complicated connotations of a summer gone too soon. It’s the latter that this promising new musician tackles in this brilliant debut.
With folk tones and indie-pop melodies, Raine navigates anxiety, regret, loss and resignation with such a sensitive and genuine approach. The authenticity of this track comes from the artist’s own life struggles, as she pulls in themes of an absent father, strained relationships and the feeling of being left behind. There’s so many points of brave vulnerability here that even if listeners can’t directly relate to her story, they can find solace in her fearless confrontation of the past.
Somewhere in between blaming oneself and turning one’s wrath on the universe, ‘August’ evokes that sense of searching for that reason “why”. Why does life continue to pose these challenges? Is it me, them, us? As Raine sings with masterful symbolism, “blame it all on my moon in Pisces, I will go down with all of my crises.” Her americana-tinged vocals are full of aching vulnerability, yet there’s unmatched beauty in her unflinching honesty.
Before we leave you to dive into ‘August’, here’s a few words from Veronica Raine: “I write songs that aren’t scared of the truth. August is raw, vulnerable, and brutally honest—its about regret, living with the crises that define us, and about finding something utterly heart stopping in the knowledge of the end. If you’ve ever felt like you’re running out of time, like the world moves too fast or not fast enough, August is for you. I’m not just singing pretty words—I’m telling real stories. And if you listen, you might just hear your own in there too.”
You can also find ‘August’ in our Folk This Way playlist.
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