Kelsey Michael is an exciting singer-songwriter, based in Penzance, Cornwall. Gry Maritha is the latest single and the opening track from her critically acclaimed debut album, Lethowsow. The song, as well as the rest of the album, is reminiscent of classic 60s/70s folk singers such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Judee Sill. 

The song immediately opens with a delicate piano pattern and beautifully emotive harmonies that set the tone of the track, and the album, perfectly. The soft and dainty playing style and airy vocals continue throughout the rest of the song, telling the story of Gry Maritha, a freight ship based at Penzance, run by the Isle of Scilly Steamship Company. 

This story telling is cemented with imagery of the folklore tales of the Scillonian waters and intertwined with a mother and daughter’s life coinciding with the departure and return of the freight ship, expressing the ethos of living by the water and the calming atmosphere this can create. 

The harmonies continue to subtly build in its richness, while the piano and drums softly steer throughout the duration of the track and allows the listener to relax into the music to feel part of the story being conveyed and encapsulates the emotions Kelsey is representing. 

The single is a perfect capsule into Kelsey’s songwriting talents, as well as her and her band’s playing abilities, tenderly traversing the listener across the ocean through the track, setting the tone for the rest of the album impeccably. 

Kelsey Michael | Spotify