Ottilie Wallace recently released her self-produced debut record titled “Throughout the Day” and Rock the Pigeon believes it’s a must-hear. The record blends together many genres such as synth pop, classical, punk, and singer-songwriter. Ottilie Wallace is a remarkable singer-songwriter and composer. In fact, we were shocked to learn that she is only 14 years old, writing such complex melodies and delivering incredible harmonies with great confidence.
“Waiting for July” is a poppy track with a retro edge. The drums and keyboards tend to bounce, while the vocals sound heavenly in tone and harmony. Lyrically, the song is about longing for summer break to come along because she is getting bullied at school. After a short guitar solo, a bridge section commences, shifting the song into a minor key as Ottilie Wallace sings “You bully and tease and say it’s all a joke…and I wish you’d never spoken.”
“Gaslighter” continues on with the theme of toxic people. This song is all about a toxic relationship coming to an end. Throughout the song, Ottilie Wallace sounds empowered. In fact, the performance in the song feels like she is taking her power back. The distorted power chords add another edge to the song, adding to the emotion of the track. The song also continues some really well played piano that comes in unexpectedly but fits so perfectly.
Drums and rock n’ roll guitars kick off “Toy.” Lyrically, this song leans into an old punk feel. Ottilie Wallace sounds completely natural while delivering vocals in a punk rock style, sounding similar to popular riot grrrl acts like Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney. A bluesy guitar solo carries the song to new heights, making this song one of the most stand out on the record.
“Survivor” is an anthem for the times. Lyrically, it’s about surviving in dystopian times. It feels like those times are no longer a fear for the future and are happening right now. A low bass hums throughout the track. The rhythm switches periodically, when the song speeds up or slows down, a sense of chaos comes out of the speakers, further pushing the dystopian vibes. The vocals are delivered in a punk rock fashion on this track as well.
“The most challenging song to record was Survivor. At the end, I was trying to do the sort of yelling-singing with barely any breaths! We had to do a lot of takes for that bit, and for the other half of that vocal where I was actually singing normally.” – Ottilie Wallace
“Asylum” continues on with the dystopian themes. This song is about corruption and greed. The busy piano comes back for this track. Between the incredible piano performance and the laid back vocals, this song stands out as a true ballad. The piano is truly the highlight.
Synthesizers enter the scene on “Icy.” The synths sparkle like ice. The vocal delivery mimics the spirit of Christmas music, although this wasn’t intended to be a Christmas song. The vocal production and the writing is incredible. Ottilie Wallace has lustrous harmonies throughout the track, and the vocals split into two separate sections that intersect. The vocal performance is absolutely magical.
The record takes a break from ballads for “Sugar High at Midnight.” Listeners will be delighted to hear a catchy, quickly played piano part with heavy bass and distorted guitars. The bass is high in the mix, driving much of the punk energy in the song. The riot grrrl style vocals come back in and are quite captivating. Ottilie says, “This song is vaguely about escaping from a sort of prison, at midnight – of course! It’s the second song I ever wrote, when I was 12.”
Fantasy vs. Reality? Ottilie Wallace tackles this theme in “Fantasy World.” Gorgeous vocals are the main hallmark of this song. Vocally, the song leans towards classical music. Wallace soars into her falsetto, hitting high notes effortlessly. The sliding vocal melody is very catchy.
The pianos continue on “Rose Gold Sun.” This is another song with a classical style melody, further showcasing the songwriting talents of Ottilie Wallace. These are not easy melodies to sing, yet she makes it seem so effortless. The drums also have a classical feel to them, feeling much like a musical theatre piece. This song is about navigating mental health struggles like depression.
“I Am Free” carries on in the style of the previous two tracks. This was the first song that Ottilie Wallace ever wrote and recorded. It’s a beautiful ballad with a complex vocal melody. Even more complex than the vocal melody is the piano performance. It’s truly captivating, something that is also good enough to also be turned into an instrumental performance. The song has a larger-than-life string solo towards it’s end, also played by Ottilie Wallace. This song allows the record to end at a place of peace.
This is an incredible debut record. She is talented far beyond her years. We are very excited to hear more music from Ottilie Wallace in the future and see how she grows as a composer, producer and artist. Listen to her debut record on Spotify now:
Written by Ryan Cassata
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