A fresh face, who’s quickly making a name for herself in the modern folk landscape, Willow Woodward’s earnest and vulnerable song writing has already captured the imagination of legions of fans. Her style, undeniably inspired by contemporaries in the indie/folk space like Taylor Swift and Maggie Rogers, isn’t just eerily coincidental. Having worked with musicians who’ve worked with these mega star artists, Woodward seems to be gearing up to be next in line in folk stardom.
The all star collaborative cast consists of Smith Curry, who has worked with Taylor Swift and Jason Aldean, who brought his signature aching pedal steel sound to the record. Craig Wilson, also a staple in Taylor’s process brings to life the distinctively evocative, and impassioned guitar work. Micah Snow, keyboardist for Maggie Rogers adds an atmosphere and an indie feel to the piece. Woodward’s song writing is the record’s highlight, paving the way for a new star in the realm of indie folk with multi structured arrangements that go above and beyond the norm.
‘Fade’, the album’s lead single, is a more poppy and infectious piece that’s bound to have even a casual listener enraptured. But the album’s titular song, ‘Daybreak’, highlights Woodward’s range and prowess. The slow ballad, which starts from a restrained and minimal background starts to move with deeply emotive atmospheric composition that starts to slowly envelope you and capture your mood with a headlock that doesn’t let you go till it eases down and you feel catharsis like never before. There’s so much range to this record, different moods, tempos, and topics finding their way into an album by an artist who’s just starting to break ground.
At only 18, Willow’s last single hit #122 on the Global Top 200 digital radio chart, and her music has been featured on iHeartRadio as well as over 580,000 retail in-store radio locations spanning 41 countries around the world. A future mega star in the realm of modern folk.