Zelma Stone – Be Free (2024)
Zelma Stone may be a sensation today but her passion for music was ignited in her childhood as she listened to her brother play guitar and write music. Absorbing the music he and her grandfather shared, music quickly became part of Stone as an invisible energy to calm her, comfort her, and inspire her. With the release of her first EP, Layla, in 2019, Stone (also known as Chloe Studebaker) quickly gained recognition as a naturally talented musical force reaching out to listeners across the globe. Join me as I hold my breath, cross my fingers and jump into Stone’s critically acclaimed discography.
The last track in her well-received 2023 EP A Dance, ‘Be Free’ is the final chapter of a dance with the painful partner called Grief. In a cathartic tango, Stone probes the intense depths of despair, trips across tumultuous tragedy, and comes around with a flair of acceptance. Zelma Stone explains:
“This song, ‘Be Free’, is me talking with my deceased brother Brett, as well as my dear, deceased friend, Jenny. Both killed suddenly and were too young… In this song, I tell them that they are missed, and I ask them if they are free and if they needed to be freed from their body. In the chorus, I talk to myself and make the decision that they are indeed free and from believing that I am then free myself from continued grief….”
A kaleidoscopic twirl of genres, A Dance is difficult to define, just as Stone is not to be pigeonholed. Recorded at Altamira Studios with producer Carly Bond and mixed by Rob Shelton, ‘Be Free’ brings together steady drums with a bold bass and dynamic guitars in a vintage folk-inspired flood. Yet, while the strong folk tone exists, a slice of alternative pop slices through the melody in Stone’s obscure vocals.
One aspect I find particularly interesting is the end. This is not because of the soaring guitar acting as an air raid warning but the abrupt cut. The song follows Stone’s emotion, and the brash end seems to add that full stop ending her grief.
In addition to the single, Zelma Stone released an official music video for ‘Be Free’. You can view the video below or on her YouTube channel.
Find out more about Zelma Stone on her official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Listen to more indie-folk melodies on The Other Side Reviews Indie Folk playlist:
