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Carter Faith sat down with Holler ahead of the release of her brand new song, ‘Late Bloomer’ - which is out today (Friday, March 22) - to discuss the inspiration behind the track.
‘Late Bloomer’ embodies the observational skills and powerful vulnerability Faith has become synonymous through her recent singles, with the fast-emerging artist tussling with the temptation to judge herself by the progress of her contemporaries.
This feeling of being behind life's invisible schedule is one that many will undoubtedly relate to. Particularly today, in the era of social media, it's virtually impossible to avoid comparisons, which in turn foster a whole host of insecurities.
On ‘Late Bloomer’, Carter Faith delves into these thorny emotions with an appealing sensitivity, while still infusing her trademark playfulness and levity into the narrative.
Faith's conversational, intricate vocals are cushioned by traditional-leaning composition, with the final few syllables of the hook cascading along a twinkling piano riff.
“I think I always wanted to write a song called ‘Late Bloomer’”, Faith explains, “My grandma would call me a pretty late bloomer growing up, and I always felt weird about it. Both my siblings are late bloomers too - I'm just from a family of late bloomers, so I always had that voice in my head. I was writing with Tofer Brown, Lauren Hungate and Margaret Valentine, who are my closest friends in Nashville, and they all resonated with it. We wrote it in an hour, top down, because it just felt honest and real - and we had all experienced it. I think it came from that lifelong feeling of being late to the party and left behind, which never really goes away”.
There's an endearing humanity and accessibility in Carter Faith's willingness to dive into topics such as these, particularly as many listeners will have assumed the 23-year-old - who is being widely tipped as one of the future stars of country music - has nothing to worry about when it comes to success or her career trajectory.
Carter Faith cites the competitiveness of the industry as exacerbating this feeling of being a ‘Late Bloomer’ in her twenties, “I think that's why I love this song so much. You think it's just something you're going through as you're growing up, and then you realise it's just something that stays with you. Feeling like you're missing something that everyone else knows - that's such a shitty feeling”.
Faith highlights how she hopes that, by peeling back the layers on ‘Late Bloomer’, she can encourage more conversation about the pitfalls of comparison, “I think it's so universal, and we don't talk about it. I find it's hard for me to be vulnerable like that, and that's why I do it in my music. I don't think anyone has reached a point of not comparing themselves to others, especially in this business”.
Excitingly, ‘Late Bloomer’ offers fans another taste of Carter Faith's forthcoming debut album, which fans are hoping will arrive before the year is out.
With another wave of new music on the horizon, Faith underlines that this latest single might be her favourite, “‘Late Bloomer’ holds a special place in my heart and my co-writers and I have always said it has a heartbeat, it feels like it's alive with us. I wrote it about my experience as a woman, but sometimes it reminds me of my little brother. It's just really special to me, and I hope it becomes special to other people too”.
‘Late Bloomer’ follows the release of Carter Faith's Sam Williams-assisted cover of Tammy Wynette's iconic track, ‘Til I Can Make It On My Own’, last month, leaving fans keenly looking forward to seeing what the up-and-coming singer-songwriter does next.
For more on Carter Faith, see below:
