It’s been a bloody huge year for women in music, and as more and more talented artists come out of the woodwork, there are more stories being told, more feelings being asserted and more life experiences being put into song.
Aussie born, LA-based songwriter Shelley Segal does this fantastically on her latest single, ‘No’, premiering via Music Feeds today. The cut is set to feature on her forthcoming EP, Holy; an exploration into innovative Americana which will see her lend her ear for intimate lyricism. You’ll be able to hear the EP in full on November 1, but for now, let’s bask in the boldness of ‘No’.
The track details the difficulty that many women have to deal with when rejecting sexual advances. The track’s exploration of consent exposes the nuances of the topic, and she does so in a way that is both eloquent and achingly accurate.
Split into three parts, it details different scenarios where our protagonist finds it hard to say no to these advances.
“I wrote the song because even though it’s 2019 and so many women feel comfortable asserting themselves and speaking up for themselves, and even though there has been so much public discourse and progress on these issues, there are still scenarios where it feels hard to say ‘no’. “
“You can find yourself in a situation that you don’t want to be in and yet be unable to express that. It’s not always easy in the moment to process the potential consequences that may come from your reaction.”
“Saying ‘no’ can create adverse outcomes like risking your job, or your safety. This discussion around consent is not as straightforward as maybe we would like it to be and I wanted to reflect on those nuances.”
The track will officially be out this Friday, but for now, listen below.
