Watch The Cat Empire’s Felix Riebl Perform An Acoustic Duet With Martha Wainwright

July 27, 2016

The Cat Empire frontman Felix Riebl is preparing to release his second solo album Paper Doors, and has gifted fans with an acoustic take on one of the album’s lead singles, In Your Arms, featuring Canadian-American singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright.

The live acoustic version of In Your Arms (below) sees Riebl and Wainwright strip back the song with just a piano and acoustic guitar, taking the track back to its delicate descending melodies.

Aside from the studio version of In Your Arms, Paper Doors, which is out in September, also features duets with Little Birdy’s Katy Steele and Tinpan Orange’s Emily Lubitz.

“They all bring something out which is special to me. When I’m able to sing really quietly, the presence of a female character adds some sparkle and character that brings another timbre in my own voice,” Riebl says.

“It’s been an important aspect of my songwriting, both for The Cat Empire and for this album, to try and write songs that reside in an atmosphere.”

Riebl says Paper Doors is about his experiences of being a travelling musician. “The windows, the planes, the buses, the back stages, even the rush of the performance – all of that makes no sense while you’re on the road” he says.

“But when you come back, music comes out of the quiet places I write, this album is looking at different angles of what movement and travel actually can be.”

Paper Doors is set for release on 2nd September, before Riebl plays some intimate shows in Adelaide, Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Catch all of his tour details below, alongside the acoustic live take of In Your Arms.

Watch: Felix Riebl – ‘In Your Arms’ feat. Martha Wainwright (Acoustic Live Session)