Emerging British pop sensation Sarah Close, like so many young and passionate artists, got her start posting covers on YouTube. With a following of more than 750,000 worldwide, Close already has the media excitement of a long-time pro, despite the fact that this is her first official studio release. Her EP Caught Up debuted April 14, proving great things are worth waiting for; after working with an incompatible management team at first, Close’s EP was pushed back nearly two years. Since then, the 21-year-old honed her artistic style and created her own label, The Kodiak Club, as a subdivision of Parlophone Records.
Caught Up is an impressive lead EP from what easily could have been a one-note artist. The title track is a prime example of what happens when you’ve spent the majority of your singing career doing covers of popular songs. Close’s vocals and delivery sound remarkably similar to those of Lily Allen, another British pop vocalist known for her bubbly melodies and edgy lyrics.
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Where the title track falls short, the remaining three tracks recover swiftly. Sarah Close's debut single, "Call Me Out," is an energetic and infectious tune perfect for indie-pop fans.
“I wanted to write a really fun song about the process of flirting with someone and that uncertainty of not knowing what will happen,” Close told Clash Magazine.
Most impressive of the four tracks, however, is "Perfect After All." The vocoder-heavy ballad is reminiscent of the distinctive sound of 2016's breakout producer, Francis and the Lights.
Sarah Close has the potential to be a breakout star of the indie-pop scene. For fans of Halsey, Melanie Martinez, or newbie Sigrid, Caught Up will be easy listening.