Los Angeles, CA — U.K. artist North makes her mark with brand new single, “Breaking Me Down.” Heavily influenced by rock and blues, the track pulses with searing guitar lines and heavy bass, elevating North’s raw, powerful vocals. The singer’s gritty performance accurately reflects the theme of desperately needing to break free of a tormenting situation. The song is now available to stream and download on digital music platforms worldwide.
“Breaking Me Down” pays homage to the timeless 12-bar blues structure while also drawing from more contemporary updates on the sound. Co-writer Dan Baune, of the band Monument, assists North in forging a down and dirty slow burner with an unmistakably classic feel. The Animals-esque intro segues into a fiery entrance by North, whose soulful, passionate delivery evokes the likes of Janis Joplin. These more traditional elements are offset by an ethereal bridge, in which a flurry of stunning backing vocals and guitars climax into the song’s laid-back final chorus. Producer Matt Annecharico ensures the crispness of these modern rock touches, as well as coloring the song with additional organs and guitar licks. Lyrically, the song deals with entrapment – the feeling of being stuck in a downward spiral. As North’s thunderous voice laments, “I’m trying to be strong, but this can’t go on,” the listener can identify resilience as much as desperation.
This mix of pain and refusal to surrender is to be expected from the 29-year-old songstress, who’s been through her fair share of trials and tribulations. Her stage name is a reference to the northern part of England where she grew up, “where there’s no such thing as bad weather — only inappropriate clothing!” Perhaps a fitting metaphor for North’s stance in life: she’s heavily influenced by artists such as P!nk and Christina Aguilera because of “the whole strong, feisty and fearlessness thing they portray.” The singer displayed her own fearlessness when, after making her way to London and its grueling music industry, she was one of the victims of a highly publicized fraud case involving music management company BMU. North refused to let this negative experience slow her down, signing to Dreamscope Records shortly after — and continuing to use her music as a way to inspire herself and others to push through life’s challenges.
“Breaking Me Down” is North’s debut and the first single off of her upcoming EP. The song is now available to stream and download on all digital music platforms. Be on the lookout for new music and an EP release later this year. You can follow North’s journey at www.This1isNorth.com
