Several weeks ago, when I had my first listen to "In Love a Little," the gorgeous new single from Brooklyn-based indie-pop artist Sophie Colette, I distinctly recall how its musical vibe imparted the sensations of forthcoming Spring, new beginnings and glimmers of warm, soothing light. Much of our seemingly ordinary worlds have changed in ways we never imagined over the past several weeks. But "In Love a Little" magically takes me back to how the song made me feel before this all hit - I still feel the same overwhelming sense of hope and light as I listen to it today. And we could certainly use more of that right now!
Continuing with the recurring lyrical themes of honesty, intimacy, and vulnerability in relationships, Sophie explores the heightened anticipation and emotional belly-butterflies that accompany a personal confession about falling in love with someone. She lets us in on that little secret, making sure we're ready for the revelation:
"Can you keep a secret? Can you handle this?
I don't want to fight this. I'm ready to admit that
I've fallen in love a little with you"
But, there's much more to the underlying theme of this delicate, soulful electro-pop gem. Sophie explains the track's inspiration: "I had a dream of descending from an alien spaceship. It was one of those rainy nights in New York City after a thunderous storm, and all that remained were slick distortions of traffic lights bouncing off the wet pavement." She continues, "I'm floating down a vertical beam of light and land in the middle of the street in front of a row of yellow cabs, with their bright headlights shining at me. As I catch eyes with a startled driver, I confess my epiphany that I had started to fall in love, just a little."
With "In Love a Little," Sophie collaborated with Ableton sound designer and producer Julie Kathryn (I Am Snow Angel) to create the moving end result. One of my favorite parts of "In Love a Little" is its elegant transition from the bridge to the final chorus (listen around 2:20). You can almost feel those radiant beams of light surrounding you during this lovely movement. Take a listen for yourself and you just might feel it too!