‘Mary’ the debut single from Perth-born, now Melbourne-based songwriter Harper Bloom, follows in the Australian narrative tradition of consummate storytellers like Paul Kelly or Courtney Barnett.
Against a backdrop of acoustic guitars, electronic flourishes and energetic percussion, Bloom’s sincere vocals paint an intimate, expressive portrait of the song’s titular protagonist, and a meditation on taking back control of one’s life. “Mary, Mary / Where will you go? / Where are you running to now?” asks Bloom in the track’s deceptively infectious chorus.
“The single is essentially about not being afraid to be vulnerable and take risks, no matter who you are or how old you are. It’s about having the strength to leave a comfortable, mundane existence behind in search of enriching experiences and a new lease of life,” explains the songwriter.
“The idea really came from observing people on trains and buses…some of the verses came from overheard conversations or things I saw on public transport, and watching the body language and expressions of people doing a job they didn’t really want to be doing.”
‘Mary’ is the first taste of Bloom’s forthcoming debut EP, which is scheduled for release later in April. For the EP, she teamed up with producer Benjamin McCarthy, whose credits include tracks by Alex the Astronaut, Gordi, Thelma Plum and G Flip.
Stream ‘Mary’ below.
