Orla Gartland - Artist of the Week (07.26)

PHOTO BY KARINA BARBERIS

Orla Gartland has come a long way from when she started posting covers and originals on Youtube nearly a decade ago. Since then, her popularity has only grown with two EP releases and an album set to release next month on August 20th. 

Her most recent EP, You’re Not Special Babe, gives us a peak at five of the tracks that will be included on Orla’s upcoming album, Woman on the Internet. She wrote about the album, “these songs are filled with stories of growing up, about adulthood coming for you whether you are ready or not - many songs grapple with the concept of identity (something I think about a lot), about feeling lost and about learning to really own that lostness.”

This sentiment is definitely prevalent in the title track, “You’re Not Special Babe,” my personal favorite. The song is a much needed reminder that life doesn’t have to be that serious. The chorus emphasizes this point: “You’re not special babe / I know you feel like your life is one big mistake / I’m right there on your side / You’re not special babe / ‘Cause we all go from heartbreak to happy to heartbreak / Some things just don’t change”. 

Following Orla’s album debut, she is set to go on a UK/Ireland tour this fall. For more on Orla Gartland, check out her website at https://www.orlagartland.com/.