Ailbhe Reddy’s newest single is anything but ‘A Mess’

Who hasn’t been there? The demise of a new relationship; the brutal process of picking apart one’s worst habits and fears; young love really not being all it's chalked up to be... Well, London-based, Irish indie musician Ailbhe Reddy makes light of these issues in her newest single ‘A Mess’.

Following the success of her debut album ‘Personal History’ and her recent single ‘Inhaling’, Reddy seems to only be getting better. This track carries her signature self-reflective song-writing and stunning vocals but packaged in a much less glittering folk-pop package. 

Instead, she seems to embrace grit. From the get-go Reddy has the listener tapping their foot along with up-tempo drums, a catchy guitar riff and her beautiful vocals. The production only adds to the tone of slight chaos as Reddy picks apart at why her relationship was called a mess. That being said the sound is tight and cohesive, keeping the listener engaged to the last beat. 

Reddy’s relatable lyrics speak of the tendency to cyclically pull apart one’s faults, getting increasingly frustrated at the seemingly impossible task of moving forward from them. One gets a sense of this especially in the chorus when Reddy sings, almost desperately, of her feelings of inadequacy in the relationship. Instead of treating what could be read as bitter emotions with anger, the main theme of the track is humour. This is especially clear in her accompanying music video.

The song gains real momentum during the bridge as both melodic progression and repetitive lyricism allow the song to really build towards the final chorus. It’s an excellent single through and through, from lyricism to melody, to production, to structure. 

It seems that Reddy has embraced her messy tendencies and has crafted a song that has the potential to become anthem-like for all her fellow messes. 

Chloe Boehm

@chlojo98

Image: ‘A Mess’ Official Single Cover