The Fat Angel Sings

“Sling”, is the second full-length from Clairo, was recorded at a moment when the young singer-songwriter was unsure if she wanted to continue pursuing music at all. Produced by Clairo and Jack Antonoff and recorded in a remote studio in upstate New York, the new LP takes sonic inspiration from those woodland surroundings. Across “Sling“, whose track “Blouse” features background vocals from Lorde, Clairo describes depression and being a young woman navigating the music industry.

When it was time to release a first single from Claire Cottrill’s hotly anticipated sophomore album under the name Clairo, somebody chose an interesting one: “Blouse” a downcast ballad about feeling sexualized and ignored that sounds like Phoebe Bridgers singing a Simon & Garfunkel song. The contrast between “Blouse” and Immunity provoked several questions: Was the single representative of the rest of the new album? Or would it turn out to be a curveball? Was it indicative of a change in direction for Clairo? Or was it just another one of her sad songs, this time stripped of the production touches of former Vampire Weekend studio wizard Rostam Batmanglij, whose influence is heavy throughout Immunity? A little more than a month later, Clairo’s new album “Sling” is here, and we have our answers.

Yes, “Blouse” is somewhat representative of the work as a whole, in that it is one of Cottrill’s sad songs—resolute, plainspoken, emotionally resonant, melodically inviting—and Batmanglij’s thumps and squiggles are nowhere to be found. In their place are string sections and horns, rubbery bass lines and warm organ tones, layered harmonies, hushed acoustic folk, modest indie-pop and ‘70s singer/songwriter vibes.

And in Rostam’s place is Jack Antonoff, super-producer to stars like Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Lorde and The Chicks. Together, Antonoff and Cottrill recorded Sling at Allaire Studio on a verdant hilltop in upstate New York, where Cottrill found solace after a whirlwind few years that included Immunity’s success, lots of touring and, before all that, her viral rise. Which is probably why Sling sounds like a long exhale after a wild ride: constructive, much-needed, a little bit messy. And while setting Sling next to Immunity proves Cottrill has more than one pitch in her arsenal, it turns out her curveball is the one that’s most dazzling.

Here’s hoping she makes an album full of them someday. 

Fresh off the release of her new collaboration with Lorde, Clairo has returned with her own new single, “Blouse,” which also features Lorde on backing vocals. Alongside the release, Clairo has announced her sophomore album, “Sling”, which is out on July 16th via Republic Records. The follow-up to 2019’s Immunity was recorded with Jack Antonoff. “Blouse” is a stunning ballad that sees Clairo playing off of Lorde’s background vocals, with a simple guitar line that allows the lyrics to truly shine, with lines like, “Why do I tell you how I feel/ When you’re just looking down my blouse/ It’s something I wouldn’t say out loud/ If touch could make them hear, then touch me now.”

Not only does Clairo (and Phoebe Bridgers) sing on the just-released, Jack Antonoff-produced Lorde song “Solar Power” she also just announced her own album Sling and the lead single “Blouse,” which features backing vocals by Lorde. It’s a gorgeous song that channels ’70s folk but sounds entirely modern. Listen below.

Associated with soft, intimate vocals, day-dreamy atmosphere, and rumination, Clairo is lo-fi singer/songwriter Claire Cottrill. Alternating keyboards and guitars as accompaniment, and often colouring her recordings with samples and sound effects, Clairo began uploading dozens of her styled, but low-key, melody-driven tunes to music-sharing sites as a young teen in 2013. Introduced by the delicate lead single “Blouse”, her second studio album Sling follows-up her 2019 debut Immunity.

Sling drops July 16th via Republic.

It would be easy to write off a singer/songwriter who first rose to prominence on YouTube as just a flash in the pan, but 20-year-old Claire Cottrill (aka Clairo) appears to have some staying power. Cottrill has a saintly intrigue and cool confidence, and slick, yearning pop songs to match. Songs like “4EVER,” “Pretty Girl” (which currently boasts 34 million YouTube views) and her best track yet “Bags” are expectedly moving, but what’s most surprising is her magnetic stage presence—she gracefully glides across the stage like a veteran. Her debut album, Immunity, which she co-produced with Rostam, is finally here.

“Immunity” is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Clairo, released on August 2nd, 2019 through Fader Label. The album was co-produced by Clairo and Rostam Batmanglij, formerly of Vampire Weekend.