There is nothing more exciting than witnessing the launch of a new career in real-time, especially if the debut in question is as promising as this one. Norwegian singer-songwriter May, whose real name is Margrethe Frich, dropped her first song ‘Past Burn’ on May 31st and already set the bar quite high with this one.
It’s been a minute since a classic heartbreak ballad like this was released. ‘Past Burn’, however, ticks off every single box on the list of elements that such a song should contain, and is reminiscent of some of the most memorable breakup songs from the past decade (think Christina Perri during her prime).
Starting off with beautiful backing vocals supported by soft guitar notes, ‘Past Burn’ tugs at your heartstrings right away. While the chords seem simple at first, they never get boring and along with May’s versatile voice, they keep you on the edge of your seat all along the first verse.
The lyrics are a straightforward stream of consciousness, making it the perfect song to sing – and cry – along to in the car. Although it’s a deeply personal song, it is certainly relatable to a lot of listeners. The chorus starts with the line ‘You let me love you just for a minute’, a simple but poignant way of expressing grief for a short-lived relationship.
In the second verse, a beat kicks in and May becomes more playful with her voice, displaying her abilities with some gorgeous vocal runs and by switching effortlessly between registers. The ballad profits greatly from May’s rich voice. While the second verse is undoubtedly the song’s strongest part, the bridge and the outro also get their moment to shine with beautifully layered vocals and dramatic adlibs which round off the song incredibly well.
‘Past Burn’ is a perfectly executed heartbreak ballad. To sum it up, May knows exactly what she’s doing and she’s doing everything right.
Written by: Melanie Falkensteiner
Edited by: Marieke Weeda
