Kitty Montague drops a raw new single “I Kissed You Politely,” touching on consent and coercion.
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Listen: “I Kissed You Politely” – Kitty Montague
British singer-songwriter Kitty Montague shares her experiences in her latest single “I Kissed You Politely,” making sure you never feel unable to say ”NO” in any uncomfortable situations. The empowering, emotional, and raw song narrates the universal struggles that women deal with from expectant lovers/dates. The Kent-born artist has dipped her toes into the ocean of music supporting the likes of Gabrielle Aplin, as well as releasing a juicy bunch of sonic diary entries touching on her and others’ experiences in life, mostly surrounding romantic relationships. Radiating a calm and gentle confidence, her music is poetic and driven through a sense of empathy, drenched in her pop-style production drawing on a soulful glaze mixed with acoustic flushes.
I used to care how your tongue runs free with my name on the backseat,
Stripped of my privacy,
You’ve ripped off the sheets I sleep beneath
With a strong entrance, the warbling bassline, prowling, delayed melodies, and silky synths are met with an army of haunting harmonies, giving off an angelic yet entirely melancholic feel. Her vocals are distinctly British, with her deliberate vocal breaks and rolling tone making her voice feel fierce and strong. “I Kissed You Politely” follows on from her previous release “Kiss Chase.” The track saw the musician touching on the sense of feeling liberated in your sexuality, a complete juxtaposition thematically to the newest release. Interestingly, Montague shows the polarity of sexual nature, expectations, and realities within society. From liberation to feeling uncomfortable, all these areas are relevant and relatable for most, with a clear spectrum of honesty and personal accounts, Montague ensures her authenticity and truth sit alongside her feminism in her art. After leaving a work environment, mostly harboured by men and a strong sense of toxic masculinity, she soon became aware of everyday objectification and sexism, spurring on her passion for women’s rights sharing, “I started to question all of the uncomfortable experiences and unhealthy relationships that I had been in, which I had previously deemed as normal.”
You sabotage my ego if I try to leave you,
Say you’ll find another girl to renew,
All of your fantasies,
While I’m trapped behind the bars of your strategies
Keeping feminism at the core of her music, Montague infused her own experiences along with those of her close friends and the many other women who identify with the Me Too Movement. Touching on the blurred lines between consent and coercion, “I Kissed You Politely” is a clear-cut story that is sadly far too common. With the power of this single, both the aura and narrative bring together a sense of community, as well as ensuring those who are pressured or uncomfortable can say “NO!”
A key lyric in the track is, “I wish I knew then what I know now, I wish I knew how, I could’ve chosen myself, forgotten everyone else.” This introduces the idea that you should know that you never have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with and as Montague says, “you certainly don’t have to have a reason or a justification as to why.” The London-based artist shares, “This song is about choosing to put your own comfort first, above someone else’s opinion of you.”
Save a fragile ego,
Fake it for the late show,
Never taught her how to say no,
To put herself before Romeo.
You’ll find a way to discredit her name,
Claim and ingrain that she’s part of the blame,
Catch 22 it’s still under review,
Chained to a label you don’t get to choose
“I originally wrote this song in 2019. The song formed around the concept of “kissing someone politely”, a seemingly innocent concept that holds a lot more weight for women who have been pushed into uncomfortable situations. A lot of women resonate with the feeling of politely giving in to men, to avoid any conflict or backlash that might come with saying no.”
For Montague, her music will always have a depth at the core, which is easy to recognize through her impassioned lyrics and honesty. Despite her music being sensibly pop, the rich drips of soul add an even deeper effect giving her music all the emotional credit it deserves. If you haven’t had the chance, check out Montague’s work to find hard-hitting, relatable, and charmingly comforting tracks, sure to hit you right in the heart.
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Listen: “I Kissed You Politely” – Kitty Montague
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