Carolyn Hunter Finds Her Voice In Empowering New Album ‘Lovelight’

Indie-folk/pop singer-songwriter Carolyn Hunter steps into the spotlight with a collection of eight stunning tracks on her new album, Lovelight, and a new music video for the single “Felt Like Love.” In addition to this exciting release, Hunter is proud to have contributed background vocals on The Lumineers’ new holiday single, “This Is Life (Merry Christmas),” out now. Lovelight is a moment for the artist in which she fully embraces her self-identity.

At its core, this poetic pop celebration explores themes of desire and longing, as well as the evolving sexuality and energy that accompanies finding your voice. For Hunter, these songs reflect a time in which she sought out an identity void of codependency, and rooted in empowerment and exploration. Lovelight is a glimpse into the most intimate corners of Hunter’s world; the songwriter’s ethereal vocals, story-driven lyricism, and fearless vulnerability yield a final product characteristic of Maggie Rogers, HAIM or Taylor Swift’s Folklore.

The dreamy record features 8 tracks, each painted with colourful melodies and vibrant, kaleidoscopic production. “Felt Like Love” blossoms from simple, warm keys into an anthemic chorus driven by a gritty bass-line, and embellished with spritely synths. “Don’t Let Me Down Easy” immediately catches listeners’ attention with a beautifully textured, percussive production. Hunter rips the bandage off on this epic heartbreak anthem as she confronts the transition out of the shadows head-on.

“Giving Myself To You” is a sultry statement against codependence accented with a charismatic bitterness and caressed with angelic background vocals. Hunter achieves the perfect amount of sparkle on this sombre track, and peels her vibrant synth-pop back to a deeper level; she captures the full scope of emotions inherent to moving on from one era to the next. The smooth, steady groove on “Come Down” is driven by airy synths, hypnotic percussion, and is steeped in passion and melancholy. Overall, the tracks on this album come together in an impressive showcase at the epitome of dream-pop.

Hunter dedicated the last three and a half years to perfecting the tracks on Lovelight. She worked regularly on this project with producer and collaborator Julian Peterson out of Wolf Den Studios in Longmont, Colorado. Peterson is a mastermind of songwriting and musical craftsmanship, as well as a wizard on guitar. He is a deep listener that worked flawlessly with Hunter to help her find a new authentic way of singing. In early 2018, the two began workshopping songs she had written. He would take the song on his guitar, shapeshift structure, chords, and rhythm until they found the heart of each song. The two honed in on their favourite projects to create the final tracklist; this album is a truly collaborative effort, the culmination of the best of their work together.