Katie Belle paints heart-rending pictures of love and loss with every note. Her new single, “CIGARETTE,” is a slow-burning beauty that stays with you long. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Katie has always had a talent for personal storytelling, and with “CIGARETTE,” she plunges into the heartstrings. The song examines the hurt of remembering someone you’ve walked away from but can’t quite forget. It’s a track that smolders with gentle intensity.
Reuniting with Los Angeles-based producer Fabio Campedelli, her creative collaborator since 2022’s “Next Ex,” her artistry is on full display and ever-progressing. Fabio’s production envelops you in a rich, dreamy soundscape that reflects off Katie’s vocals like a warm, bittersweet fog. An outstanding balance here is that the instrumentation leaves enough space for Katie’s voice to shine but also amplifies the emotional tug of her lyrics, which is considerable.
Mixed by Lukas Cuman and mastered by Sanjeeve Easwar, both from Los Angeles, “CIGARETTE” is mechanically clean and emotionally gritty. The production never overwhelms the sentiment but rather complements it. Recorded in Campedelli’s LA studio, the track has a crisp, intimate vibe, as if Katie is whispering these memories directly into your ear. Her delivery is relatable and honest, like flipping through an old journal. It’s not simply a song about the details that haunt us after the people do not.
These are all signs that Katie Belle is gaining momentum after an increasingly busy performance schedule throughout the Southeast and a standout performance at Virginia Highlands Porchfest. “CIGARETTE” establishes her voice as one worth following. If “CIGARETTE” is any evidence and if any clue could be taken from its title, one feels Katie Belle is not following trends.
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