Baker Grace has that “it” factor. Formerly recording under the name Bitter’s Kiss, the New Jersey-born pop singer serves up a winning combination of an irresistible chorus and enviable vocals in “Lullaby”. This fresh hit has a flow that feels just right for the listener in the search for something that doesn’t sound familiar but doesn’t lead them astray. “Lullaby” is an example of an artist wearing their heart on their sleeve and entertaining the audience member all-the-same. It’s real, honest and vulnerable. It also makes you smile.
You know how wine aficionado’s talk about the air of the wine, the way it fills the senses? You can turn on all the sensory explosions on this song. “Lullaby” projects a flavor that is ripe with synth movement and Grace’s vocals are mixed just below with this whispering, almost Northern Lights-like sound. I suppose it’s a cross between Bjork meets Billie Eilish meets Nellie Furtado. Grace tangles together a web of joy and from-the-heart lyrics. She’s light on her feet, but if you listen to the track a few times, more emotions emerge than anticipated. And it’s the anticipation that keeps you coming back for more – Grace has that ability to convey her innermost thoughts that are so relatable. In many ways, this song is an autobiography. I think she gives the listener a birds eye view of her emotions. It’s not just a fluffy song. I think Grace defies expectations.
“Lullaby” has many powerful lyrics, but none more so than the verse: I tell myself a story of forever when I feel out of control, light myself a candle on the nights I can no longer bear the cold, ready for the battle, broken I’m not fragile, I’m dying and I’m coming back to life while you are begging on your knees. She sings this with such content, that it’s hard to imagine her not being at a place of peace. Isn’t that life sometimes, though, when you’re up, the person you’re with is down. Or when you most need someone to help you, the call goes unanswered. She communicates self-reliance, self-assurance that feels so candidly cozy. I’m assuming she’s younger and to hear this in an artist of her age is staggering. It leaves me optimistic that it is just going to get better and better for her from here on out.
Already Grace has given the world her own transformation. She’s mastered alternative/pop rock and has turned her sights on music that feeds her own soul. A new name. A new outlook. The satin layering in her voice cuddles the listener, she converts listeners immediately. Get lost and quickly find this sweet track – “Lullaby” is the right choice. With so many choices and so little time to listen to all the new music in the world, “Lullaby” is the perfect excuse to slow down, sit awhile and dream away. “Lullaby” is one of the best songs out of 2022 and Baker Grace has risen to the occasion. Kim Muncie