Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Kevin Cole, co-host of Drive Time on KEXP, is "On" by Kelly Lee Owens, from the 2020 album Inner Song on Smalltown Supersound.
On her sophomore album, Inner Song, Welsh artist Kelly Lee Owens explores what she calls “the hardest three years of my life,” allowing her grief and sadness to express itself through her lush production work and her thoughtful lyrics.
As reported in a recent episode of Pitchfork's Song Exploder podcast, today's Song of the Day was inspired by the loss of the Prodigy’s Keith Flint, who passed away last year at the age of 49. (The working title was “Spirit of Keith.”)
“'Firestarter' was one of the first CD singles I ever bought," she told Pitchfork. "Growing up in the ’90s, that was one game-changer that was like, 'What the fuck is this? This is for me!' Me being me, I was like, 'Come on Keith, let’s channel, let’s do this together.' Some of the sounds ended up being slightly late-’90s. Then it turned into a super personal track. The music always informs what needs to be said lyrically. The energy’s already there somehow; I just have to listen and it reveals itself to me."
Finding good new music can be a full time job, so let KEXP help! In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery.
Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
