July 20, 2022
If you've been following IMC for only a few weeks, first of all welcome. You will then have noticed that girls are rather rare in our columns, to our greatest regret. It is time to fix this injustice.
After Zoe Butler last week, let's now discover Rebecca Turmel. She comes from New England (US). And I advise you to remember where she comes from. Because when we share our next song, then you might be thinking "wow, these guys have a knack for coincidences". New England is a rather vast area, covering 6 states in the North East part of the US, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Canadian border, and you only have to inquire about this destination to realize that it is a magical place, very green, with wooded hills as far as the eye can see, which can only inspire artists.
Rebecca Turmel grew up in these marvelous landscapes. For a few years, she had only devoted herself to covers... Until she could no longer resist the mad urge to write her own songs. And she started from a very young age, as she told us:
"I performed on stage for the first time when I was 11 years old, and this is where my passion for music began. I started off in the theatre, performing in musicals and stage shows throughout my childhood and all the way through my college career."
"Am I Missing Something", released on July 8, is her debut single. You read correctly. We said "debut single"! Hard to believe, isn't it?
The way Rebecca juggles the words on the melody, especially in the chorus, is quite stunning. Her writing is impressively mature. Yes, at IMC, sometimes we tell ourselves that we would have liked to have known how to write such marvels at that age. But you should never have regrets.
By the way, speaking of regrets, it seems that this song has some, hidden under the pillow. The artist wonders why she drags a kind of black cloud permanently above her head, with a flash ready to strike at any moment. Of course, she is talking here about her romantic relationships, which, according to the song, always end in disaster. And this is where we see the first regrets appear: "Why did I give you all my trust?", as she sings.
And when you hear that kind of lyrics, you can only think the artist went through a lot of disappointing love stories. Rebecca confirmed:
"It's true - I have been quite unlucky with love! When I wrote this song, I knew my story was not unique and there would be people out there that could relate to it. Writing this song was a big part of my healing process, so I hope it helps others do the same and can bring them some peace knowing they are not alone."
We don't always have control over how our relationships end, and sometimes they leave us full of questions. We find these questions throughout the song, chipped like small stones allowing us to find our way back. But there's always a way, and always a progression into everything we do. Just like Rebecca confides about her recent willingness to go a bit further with music:
"I taught myself guitar and started going to local open mics every week. I started picking up gig after gig at local restaurants, hotels, and ski resorts. I've been playing as a cover artist for over 3 years now, but I just started writing music and exploring a recording career for myself".
This song is not an insane accumulation of instruments. Rebecca's acoustic guitar, piano, and warm voice alone are enough to create a magical and dazzlingly beautiful musical universe.
I don't want to spoil the ending for you, but my favorite line is definitely the last one: "What's wrong with my love? Will I ever be enough?". Unexpected. Spicy. Heartbreaking but delicious at the same time.
For a debut release, we can say that it is positively surprising. And very promising! We can't wait to see what this brilliant artist still has in her closets!
Reach out to Rebecca Turmel
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Written with love by Niko. "Am I Missing Something?" has been added to our "Indie Music" playlist on Spotify. Check it out below and give it a follow for more amazing music!