You are out there, doing your daily tasks, and then Emily Nicole Green’s “Thief” gets you off guard and takes you on an intense emotional rollercoaster that you might not be ready for. Nevertheless, once you delve into the heartfelt ballad, you’ll gladly play it over and over again.
“Thief” is a haunting Americana ballad that will stir your heart from start to finish. With the heart-shattering storytelling and moving genre blend, we witness Green’s magnificent talents as a singer and songwriter. The New York-based artist is a late bloomer who had to drop music for quite a time and come back stronger in 2019, and since then she’s been pouring her heart and soul into her music, making genuine, personal, and touching pieces.
The thing about this song is that it’s emotionally charged, and with every note, you get to feel and embrace these raw emotions and find vulnerability embodied through each element. The mastered ballad is about abandonment, by someone who meant a lot to us and by ourselves in response, instead of going easy on our wounded souls. However, it’s not one of these songs that makes its characters appear like villains; instead, the lyrics showcase the complexity of human nature and how we are all not one-sided. I admired how the ache in the lyrics didn’t overpower the sincerity and realism, but the centerpiece here can’t be the lyrics; it’s definitely the mesmerizing vocals.
If you have well-written lyrics but no good vocal delivery, then the listener won’t feel the ache you’re trying to describe. With Green’s vocals, you get to feel the pain in your core and feel like it’s your own experience, even if it’s not relatable. On the other hand, if it is relatable, you’ll feel heard and acknowledged. Her soulful vocals are simply addictive! She makes every lyric resonate, offering the sound of a bleeding heart. Along with Green’s astonishing vocal performance, the instruments delicately cry in their own way. Although the vocals instantly grab attention, they let the instrumentation shine and harmonize along. The sentimental piano, the passionate strings, and the soft percussion are all intimate, well-backdropping the ethereal voice and delivering the heartbreak in the most soothing manner.
I think this sums up why you’ll play the song over and over. The beautiful, blended ballad of Americana, Folk, Jazz, and Pop spread a warm ray of light in a dark, hurtful situation. Wait for the upcoming EP, “Outrunning the Animal,” on October 30th to enjoy more of Emily Nicole Green’s authentic musicianship.