Americana newcomer Karlie Bartholomew recently released her debut single "Brooklyn Park" - and we've had it on repeat ever since.
"Brooklyn Park is my hometown and where I grew up," Karlie explains. "My father built our house brick by brick and the pine tree stood outside of my sister’s bedroom window. It’s a song about how hard it is to leave home and start a new life away from all you’ve ever known."
The song begins with a lengthy instrumental intro that both calmed us and had us swaying in our seats at the same time. The sounds of the strings brought back memories of the popular 2008 hit "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz, but Karlie's soft voice had us floating on air. Influenced by artists like Norah Jones and Ingrid Michaelson, Karlie delivers an effortlessly beautiful tone, with equally beautiful storytelling.
The comforting lyrics, reminiscent of Miranda Lambert's The House that Built Me, bestows a sentimental, yet homesick affection most people will be able to relate to. While listening, we almost felt as though we were reading pages of Karlie's personal journal. All these bricks I've known have aged with time - the faded porch with that old wind chime...
Although this is Karlie's debut single, she's no stranger to the music scene. She began playing at local cafes and venues in Maryland while in high school, before moving to Boston. While attending Berklee College of Music in 2017, she was chosen as a featured soloist to honor Lucinda Williams at the school’s commencement concert. Karlie sang for an entire arena filled with seven thousand people, including Lucinda herself, Lionel Richie, Todd Rundgren and Neil Portnow. Karlie graduated the next day with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Music, focusing in Contemporary Writing/Production and Performance.
Now living in Nashville, Tennessee, Karlie is currently working on her latest project - her debut EP. We have our sights set on her and can't wait to hear what she releases next!
For more information, visit www.karliemusic.com and follow Karlie on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.