Sophie Janna: Thistle

I love what writing this blog has done for me - all the new artists and songs I've experienced which I may never otherwise have heard. I feel thoroughly blessed that so many musicians have found me and chosen to share their work with me. So please never hesitate to share your EPKs, links etc. - I do try to listen to everything!

Sophie Janna, a singer-songwriter from The Netherlands, is one of those musicians who have, thankfully, become a part of my life. We connected on Twitter recently, and soon afterwards I received a copy of 'Thistle'. She describes it as a "quiet song" which she sang for the wild flowers.

I love that extremely minimal description, which somehow encapsulates the vision and delivery of the song. But for the sake of a slightly longer blog post, I'd like to add a few more words. 

'Thistle' is itself minimalistic. There's a fragility to it, bringing out that sense of powerlessness and worry that inspired Sophie to write. She tells of staying with her parents soon after becoming a mother herself, and spending time admiring those wild flowers. "I was worried about climate change and the world that I had brought my baby into - would he know all the flowers that grew around when I grew up? Would they still be there when he was my age?" Sophie sang this song, "hoping they'll stick around despite all our efforts to destroy them." 

So there's a message here which raises doubts and anxieties, for sure. But it's delivered in such a gentle way. It's all the more powerful for that - the strength of poignant reflection can often be much greater than an angry outburst. 

An overwhelming sense of calm delicacy sweeps over you as the softly strummed guitar begins. Then come brief, sparse piano notes which drop into the accompanying guitar rhythms with supreme delicacy, like raindrops. I felt strong hints of 'Northern Sky' by Nick Drave (an artist Sophie loves to cover) when I first heard this. It's absolutely beautiful. 

This introduction makes way for Sophie to begin singing; gently, and conversationally. The lyrics which she uses to support her message are few but well chosen, with clear elements of a lullaby as Sophie uses the names of flowers she learnt when she herself was small; repetition plays a key part here. There are also some subtle hints of that warning message peeping through, if you look carefully: "Please promise to keep growing; now the Western winds are blowing, or if the sun forgets to shine."

After this sung section, a warm electric guitar solo leads you further along the short but winding path that makes up the song, before a lyrical reprise and an ending which comes all too soon. 

Nothing about this song shocks, or surprises, or unsettles you the listener. But nevertheless it's a very centred, grounded tune, confident in all its elements. A lovingly wrapped package, balanced and containing exactly what's needed, and nothing more.

A few months ago, Sophie took the bold decision to quit her job to focus on making music, both solo and with her Amsterdam-based folk harmony duo, The Lasses. Let's support her in her musical dream.

Listen to her new song below, and check Sophie out on Bandcamp. Artwork above is (c) Anneke ter Schure (it's a cyanotype made with wildflowers, including thistles).