Catie Turner returns and may just be taking us on an emotional rollercoaster with her new single “Friends.” Renowned for her unvarnished honesty and undeniable magnetism, Turner deftly weaves this heartache through a tapestry of humor, resulting in a track that’s as cathartic as it is compulsion.
Delving into that all-too-relatable phenomenon of matched feelings gone wrong and silent betrayals, “Friends” plays like a late-night confession, only this one that comes with a warm acoustic cloak and an irresistible folk-pop sheen. The stripped-back opening, anchored by an intimate acoustic guitar and the softest kick drum, is the perfect cue for Turner’s signature storytelling to unravel. As “Friends” develops, gentle fingerpicking and his shimmering cymbals lend depth and urgency to the message, reflected in the slow realization that sometimes a “friend” isn’t a friend.
The wistfulness of Turner’s tone and the knowing edge in her voice peaks and dips as she lays out each lyric with a sincerity so palpable that you can’t help but feel every last bit of frustration, longing, and eventual acceptance of her situation with her. And as her style would suggest, it’s not all wallowing. She finds humor in the hurt, reminding us again why she remains one of pop’s most invigorating voices.
With “Friends,” Catie Turner invites us inside it. And whether you’ve lived it, laughed at it, or are still unfurling the knot, one thing’s for sure. “Friends” will soon be the glorified soundtrack of many a late-night overthinking session.