A warm melancholy that eats away at us slowly; a plaintive cry into the darkness; a poem of pain and love. Slow, brooding, and poignant in the best way possible, Katy Rose’s cover of “Fireproof” takes The National’s song to the next level in an evocative release of heartfelt emotion.
You keep my secrets
And I keep none
Wish I could go back
And keep some
It’s fireproof
Nothing breaks your heart
It’s fireproof
It’s just the way you are
“Fireproof” – Katy Rose (The National cover)
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Fireproof,” the latest offering from Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Katy Rose. An adept lyricist in her own right, Rose debuted with 2004’s Because I Can, an album full of life, turmoil and energy whose single “Overdrive” was featured on the Mean Girls soundtrack, and became something of a “teen cult classic.” The past decade has found her traveling across the country and the world, growing both musically and spiritually: Her new album, I’m Your Man, is set for release as a three-part series of EPs that dive readily into relationships, self-destruction, personal development, and self-discovery.
And how better to find yourself, than by injecting your essence into music that speaks dearly to you?
You tell me you’re waiting
To find someone
Who isn’t so hopeless
But there’s no one
You’re fireproof
Nothing breaks your heart
You’re fireproof
How’d you get so far
“In my opinion, “Fireproof” by The National is one of the most perfect songs of all time,” Rose shares. “In their songwriting, The National have mastered the art of making a simple word the most powerful configuration of letters and sounds you have ever heard. My boyfriend shared this gem with me on an airplane, and I subsequently listened to it every day for three months like the maniac I am. I covered it purely for my own personal pleasure.”
But it is not Rose’s pleasure that emanates off each soft utterance and shuttering breath, so much as it is a heavy, weary heart. Katy Rose has done a lot of growing up; her sound is matured, subtle, and soulful as she croons and cries, conveying emotion in far different ways from The National’s singer Matt Berninger, who opted for a more stark, bare and bittersweet performance in the original. In the cover, the intimacy of Rose’s voice is enhanced by a tasteful layer of lilting backing strings, melodic samples, and an incredibly beautiful acoustic guitar that leads us through the darkness.
Meanwhile, Rose’s music video offers a unique glimpse into the artist’s life. “This music video was brilliantly edited together by the amazing Sara Gunderson,” Rose states. “What you are seeing is all home video footage my boyfriend took of our travels across the USA and France this year. I’ve spent my life moving around, and I’m very happy to share some of it with you now. You’ll see me get to work with the insanely fantastic traveling tintype photographer, Giles Clement, in Nashville. You’ll also get to go to The Palace of Versailles in France and on a New Orleans river boat cruise with me.”
There are few ways to better understand an artist, than by knowing their own influences. Katy Rose, who will very soon be sharing so much more of her own content, is able to offer new glimpses into her mind and artistry through this harrowing, elevated cover that faithfully brings out the best in both herself, and The National. Enjoy “Fireproof” exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and connect with Katy Rose to stay updated as she prepares for us her next great adventure!
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photo © Fiona Garden
