Karen Salicath Jamali is back with a new single, “Mary’s Song” after we covered “Angel Haniel’s Clearing” last year. I’ve enjoyed her music since then and this song gives me another reason to keep following what she is doing. The song has a gentle acoustic sound that gives Karen so much room to let the song breathe. Her delivery is captivating and there is something about the way she handles the lyrics that makes them stay with you. The melodies are captivating without becoming heavy and her pure vocal tone fits this kind of songwriting so well. I also liked how simple the instrumentation is. Acoustic guitar and light percussion never crowd the song, leaving space for her voice and melodies to do the work.
The song is connected to Mary, a figure who has been important to Karen’s art for many years, and she describes it as being about remembering the heart, love, and finding a quiet place inside ourselves when life gets noisy. That idea comes through without the song needing to push it too hard.
I really enjoyed Karen’s vocal range here. She has a gentle way of moving through the song, but there is enough character in her performance to keep me listening. She is talented and I think she is an artist worth keeping an eye on. For me, “Mary’s Song” is another lovely addition to her growing body of work and I’m already excited about where she takes this side of her music next.
