Karen Harding’s soulful croons and tasteful piano return on her latest single, the emotive ballad ‘Judge You’.
Australian, based in Melbourne, Karen Harding is a singer and songwriter whose trademark tenor voice and gentle piano accompaniment usually walk hand-in-hand on her meaningful, slow-burning ballads, and her latest single ‘Judge You’ is no exception.
Emotional, with a potent hint of melancholy, ‘Judge You’ starts with Harding’s usual piano-vocals coupling for a lengthy intro, before drums kick in with a slow, powerful beat, accompanied by a soaring string arrangement and a healthy vocal backing, making the song’s later half explode into an ethereal experience that fades elegantly back to Harding’s restrained and calculated piano.
A song with a solid build and structure, ‘Judge You’ came to be as a byproduct of introspection by Karen during her counseling sessions, with words dealing with the paradoxical nature of judging oneself when it is used as a defense against external criticism while hindering personal growth in itself. A mature handling of a delicate and complicated issue that a great percentage of listeners will be able to relate to in one way or another.
Karen Harding’s mature songwriting and lyrical prowess come together again on ‘Judge You’, a soft, dramatic ballad that showcases Harding’s vulnerable core and effervescent positivity.