Kari Wahlgren (feat. Chloe Agnew) “On My Own”

If it weren’t enough to have an instrumental tapestry as fine as rare silk behind her, Chloe Agnew’s voice produces such a delicate tone in the new single “On My Own” that resisting her natural vocal charms is next to impossible. In this incredible release presented by none other than Kari Wahlgren, Agnew takes center stage with her golden pipes and offers one of the more intimate, personal performances I’ve heard from a newcomer to the spotlight this fall. Her presence is absolutely stunning and perhaps made all the more powerful thanks to the crisp setting in which we find it here. 

KARI WAHLGREN TWITTER: https://twitter.com/kariwahlgren?lang=en

Establishing good chemistry between singer and band is essential to creating any kind of spark in a pop single, let alone something as classical and instrumentally sophisticated as “On My Own” is, and Chloe Agnew has no trouble warming up to her supporting cast in this piece. There’s a steady fire burning between the strings and her voice that seems to become increasingly incendiary as the track pushes forward, and in a live concert, I can imagine her energy being all the more infectious compared to what we’re getting out of her studio work in this instance. 

MORE ON CHLOE AGNEW: http://www.chloeagnewofficial.com/about

Agnew is careful to avoid putting everything she’s got out at once in “On My Own,” and I like that she isn’t afraid to experiment with elements that help her extend the mood beyond her lyrics. She’s leaning on the rhythm, but it doesn’t seem indulgent thanks to the efficient construction of the harmony. It’s as if she’s layering her voice upon a stack of instrumental wonders both fragile and formidable the same, and without being behind the mixing board she still finds a way to control the arrangement from top to bottom in this single. I love her commanding nature, and I’m looking forward to hearing more of it in the future. 

There are only a few select instruments that could have given Chloe Agnew the right kind of support in this track, and I think her going with the piano was the right move for a couple of different reasons. It’s the most prominent featured instrument in the mix, and she takes to it with an almost rustic sensibility that makes her words sound even more authentic and timeless than they already would have. She’s very detail-oriented, and this is exactly the kind of composition to highlight her multidimensionality as an artist. 

APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/ba/artist/chloe-agnew/111302666

Kari Wahlgren presents a fantastic gem in Chloe Agnew’s “On My Own” this season, and while I didn’t know anything about this singer ahead of her new track’s release, the video for this song has made me very interested in seeing what she cultivates in her next recording. There’s an enigmatic quality to this single that makes the narrative multi-interpretive, but I can tell there’s a personal story she wants to unpack bit and by bit at the same time. She has a lot to get off of her chest, and in some ways, “On My Own” could be the first step towards the unfolding of an incredible tale. 

Mindy McCall