Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Magdalia – Shy to Shine (2021)

With her debut single, Magdalia shares her struggles with a tender vulnerability that touches your heart. ‘Shy to Shine’ pulls back the curtain on the inner world of introverts and the anxiety that most of us have faced in the last year. With a melody that haunts you long after you hear it and lyrics that sink into the cracks of your emotions, she pulls you into something that is personal yet relatable.

Over the last year, Magdalia has been honing her skills while working through her own feelings of anxiety. Drawing on her affinity for storytelling, she uses an emotional and vulnerable thread to bring her heartfelt words to sonic life. As a debut single, she is setting the bar while offering an insight into what her musicality could grow into.



The piano line that opens ‘Shy to Shine’ is wonderfully tender and organic. The relative simplicity of the movement in the opening effortlessly pulls you into the story of the lyrics and vocals. While the piano remains as the driving force of the melody, there are light layers of instrumentation that enter over it. These layers are gossamer threads that waft over the piano line to add a delicate texture and vulnerability. Every element enhances the emotional impact of the track while adding to the reflective feeling.

While the melody brings a wave of emotions to the single, it is Magdalia’s vocals that are the real star of the track. Her voice is a conversational arm across your shoulders in the opening. She calls to the insecurities that many of us feel before bringing doubts to light. There is a universal feeling to the doubts and struggles she highlights through the lyrics that make the single easy to connect with. As the song progresses, her vocals gain power and rise to offer comfort that many people need. There is a settling of emotions that comes through the understanding that you are not alone which she laces into every word and movement of her vocals.

Magdalia works through anxiety and doubts while letting you know you are not alone and infusing you with the strength to move forward in ‘Shy to Shine’. There is a tenderness and vulnerability woven into each note that shines a light on the struggles many face every day. Through the building power of her vocals, she comforts you and leads you to an inner strength you might not have been aware of.

Find out more about Magdalia on her website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

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