Art-pop artist, Montana Sharp showcases a new side to her artistry with latest release, the soul-cleansing 'Sit Feel Heal'.
The Melbourne-based musician has taken a different sonic path to her usual material (noted for its layered production and rich instrumentation) to offer a deeply personal account of a broken heart that will have happy-sad tears flowing.Fragilely beautiful, starkly unvarnished, Montana's 'Sit Feel Heal' is a break-up ballad that shifts the spotlight of emotional responsibility to the self.
With just her voice (that carries a raw yet enriched emotive quality that will resonate with the lovelorn), cello and piano, the stripped-back tones of 'Sit Feel Heal' add an emotional weight.
Haunting, delicate cello strings evoke a spiritual palette bathed in heartache aided by restrained yet poignant piano (played by Montana in one take) that is paired to lyrics that are both self-reflective and acknowledge the pain of romantic sorrow. "The song is a twist on your classic heartbreak ballad, an opposite take on a revenge song," shares Montana.
"It's an acknowledgement that sometimes the vices we use to feel better about ourselves (going out drinking and dancing, male attention, dyeing your hair!) are no use and sometimes we just have to take a good long hard look at ourselves in the mirror."
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (27 October), scenestr is thrilled to premiere 'Sit Feel Heal' today. Enjoy.
'Sit Feel Heal' was written during an intense 20-minute session while Sharp was on a uni trip in Italy. Intent on enjoying her surroundings (enjoying pizza and an Aperol spritz or two), the song had other ideas.
"Here I was in Prato, Italy, at the piano intending to rehearse material for my uni assignment, when all of a sudden I found myself writing this song," Montana recalls.
"I immediately knew it was so special in its difference to anything else I've ever written, not just because it was written so quickly, but because it's so free of my usual musical bells and whistles. There was nowhere to hide – both musically and emotionally."
The creative pulse to explore new territory that tested her skillset, Montana is enthusiastic about the result she has achieved with 'Sit Feel Heal'. "I'm really proud to be putting out something without a lot of bells and whistles, and something that is just me, my words, and a piano – which is how I began my music journey anyway.
"This is definitely the most honest song I've written, and I think that's exactly why it's the fastest song I've ever written, AND my most favourite song I've ever written.
"As artists, we always feel the need to decorate our image and produce ourselves in an extravagant or palatable way to breakthrough, but I believe that sometimes simplicity is best in serving a story."
With a home-town launch show today (26 October), Montana has expanded her music credentials in 2023, becoming a touring member with Echoes of Pink Floyd.
"As Hilary Duff once said in her 2004 groundbreaking song 'Fly', in a moment everything can change, and that's exactly how this year has gone for me.
"It felt like I was doing absolutely nothing for a whole year, and then these amazing opportunities started pouring out of every unexpected direction."
Montana Sharp launches 'Sit Feel Heal' at The Wesley Anne (Melbourne) on 26 October.
