Written by Maria Arroyo
Missing Person came at a very tough time in Karter‘s life. Dealing with a lot of pain, self-doubt, and the loss of someone very close to her, she puts it all into this beautiful collection of songs. “I was so depressed and broke, and probably at the lowest point in my whole life,” she explains. “For a while I sort of lost myself, which is why the album’s called Missing Person. But through the process of making the record I found myself as an artist and an individual.”
Her opening track “You Only Die Once” is a straight masterpiece! Karter has such a way of exploring her voice to really push herself to the limits, and it pays off tremendously. The energy for this track is so great, and overall, just one hell of an opener!
“Goodness Gracious” brings more angst for a more alternative rock sound. This track, along with “Liquor Store On Mars,” which is heard later in the album, has an interesting, yet whimsical approach that just fits so well. Both songs are extremely catchy, and have a great sense of drive and rhythm.
“Stick To Your Guns” is incredibly crafted and one of the BEST songs I think I’ve heard! It’s everything from relatable and catchy, to introspective and show-stopping. Karter shares some more insight into this song in particular.
“Because the ‘Harry’ stunt was so outlandish, there was this perception that I’d do anything for shock value,” she says. “I started getting ideas thrown at me to do things completely out of character, and it made me feel so uncomfortable and almost violated. I’ve never been one to exploit or sexualize myself for success, so I decided to write a song about standing up for what I believe in no matter what.” There’s not an ounce of this song that I’d change, because if there’s ever anything that’s as close to perfect, I think this is it!
Her next song, “Devil On My Shoulder,” is another highlight of her songwriting skills, and showcases a lot of her musical abilities.
“With the state of the world right now, I think a lot of us are suffering from anxiety,” Karter says. “It’s a song about becoming mates with the voices in your head.”
One of the first singles released from the album is “Love Me Or Hate Me.” This track is a pretty good and comprehensive tell of Missing Person as a whole, and I think the choice to put this track out first was incredibly smart. Karter shares that she encountered feelings of not being good enough, but her fans were able to help pull her out of that dark pit, that they made Karter believe in herself. “I wanted to write them a song to make them feel the way they made me feel,” Karter says. “Like I’m a badass, and I can do anything.”
Sharing an even more intimate and vulnerable side to her and her music is her next track, “God Knows I’ve Tried.” Her upbringing into a musically-talented family that exposed her to jazz music comes to life in this song. It’s just another thing to add to her list of awesomeness! Her lyrical story builds and builds until the very last second. The vocal performance was nothing short of insanely mesmerizing.
“Int – Coffee Shop – Next Morning” throws me on my toes once more as she showcases her spoken word song/poem. Lines like “you’re not the first to take your coffee with tears” hit deep in the listener’s body. She maintains this same amazing intensity in her spoken words that she has in her vocal performances. The final song of the album is titled “New Recording 254” and it is simply a beautiful acoustic sendoff.
Missing Person is truly an incredible gem of 2020. While Karter faces a lot of her own demons, she’s able to open her heart to others, to share her pain for others to embrace and to eventually heal. This album is full of insane musicianship from the songwriting to all of the musical motifs and structures that ring these songs to the next level.
“Making this album helped me to find comfort and freedom in who I am, and I want everyone who hears it to come away with that same feeling,” Karter says. “I want them to feel strong in their individuality, and to stop caring about what other people think. I hope it helps them to feel both totally vulnerable and completely invincible at the very same time.” Kelsy Karter is able to lay it all on the table for anyone and everyone to hear, and it is just incredibly powerful and appreciated.
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