Even though the world is more connected than ever before, there are times when we still experience loneliness. In lieu of in-person meetings, we meet online, or instead of picking up groceries, we have them delivered. There is a lot more focus on the individual than on those around the individual, and The Ballroom Thieves want this to change. When working on their upcoming album, Sundust, the duo of Calin Peters and Martin Earley started to analyze the human experience. The themes presented in the songs they recorded brought up one main question – “What if we could all just be a little more tender?”
On the album’s second single, “Tender,” The Ballroom Thieves demonstrate the consequences of selfish actions. Calin and Martin create a warm space with acoustic melodies and crisp harmonies, their indie folk timbres bringing out a longing and an acceptance from within. Together, they sing, “It gets hard to lay your anger down / And it gets hard to make a tender sound / And it gets harder keeping me around.” You can check it out in the intimate live video below.
Telling us more about “Tender,” Martin explains,
“We were listening to the band Watchhouse at the Newport Folk Festival in 2022, and their sparse instrumentation and fluid melodies inspired me to start writing ‘Tender’ right on the spot. We learn a lot from our peers, and in this case, the lesson was about the importance of creating space for your songs to breathe so you can hear what’s happening between the notes.”
You can listen to “Tender” on platforms like Apple Music, SoundCloud, and Spotify.
Pre-save Sundust, out April 12, here.
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