UK artist Debra Leigh’s debut pop-track ‘Heart Shaped Face’ celebrates the relationship between Mother and Daughter.
UK-based singer-songwriter Debra Leigh has released her first pop-track – ‘Heart Shaped Face’ – out now on
all major streaming platforms.
This up-beat pop ballad explores the complex relationship between Mother and Daughter, with Debra writing the song to process her feelings shortly before her daughter left home for University.
“I wrote this song for my daughter Paloma,” she explains. “Last year when she had just turned eighteen and had finished her A Levels, she was between exams and going to Uni and had just gone away on holiday with her boyfriend and his family. So, with just my husband Omri and I in the house I think I hit 'empty nest' syndrome early as the house was so quiet without her.”
The sound of this track is distinctly pop – a genre which Debra confesses hasn’t been her major influence before, but admitted “it just seemed right for this”. Her talents as a songwriter are showcased through her ability to write about the complex emotions she feels surrounding her daughter leaving home, against the backdrop of an uplifting and pop-punk sounding beat. The juxtaposition of this works, and the result is a catchy tune which has you singing along and resonating with Debra’s feelings in equal measures.
Through her song-writing she has successfully captured a challenging and inevitable part of being a parent – letting go of your children when they grow-up and leave home. Coupled with the complex and highly personalised nature of the relationship between Mother and Daughter, the end achievement is a highly relatable lyrical feat.
“I was interested in finding a way of marrying the musings of a Mum on her Daughter going out into the world with the energy and force of a teenager with a bit of rebellion in her blood,” she says. “It’s an acceptance of letting your kids find their way, having fun, whilst keeping an eye and being there for them when they need you.”
There are distinct elements of her musical influences which are woven into both the sound and lyrics of her music. There are traces of the heart-warming and happy-go-lucky vibes of Jack Johnson, as well as the more intense internal monologue of artists conveying deep emotion, such as Sufjan Stevens.
With more releases in the pipeline, Debra is keen to demonstrate her range as an artist. She says her next project has more of a “samba latino feel”. And thanks to more than fifteen years of music experience, including singing, working in the theatre as well as an MA in Voice Studies from Central School of Speech and Drama, we’re already looking forward to seeing what she does next!
‘Heart Shaped Face’ was written by Debra Leigh and produced by The Online Recording Studio.
