Stunningly soulful and achingly raw, Sophie Faith’s smoldering, spine-tingling ballad “Heart Is on My Sleeve” stings in all the right ways.
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“Heart Is on My Sleeve” – Sophie Faith
Stunningly soulful and achingly raw, Sophie Faith’s third single of the year is vulnerability manifest in a jazzy, smoldering, gospel-tinged neo-soul dream.
Released October 28, 2022 via Honey & Lemon Music (sweet and sour – get it?), “Heart Is on My Sleeve” stings in all the right ways: Smooth, spine-tingling harmonies, tender, naked piano playing (courtesy of British singer/songwriter Reuben James), and Faith’s own rich and powerful vocals turn a moody, brooding ballad into the hypnotizing and seductive upheaval of a bruised heart and weary soul.
Don’t make me beg, I’m on my knees
And I can’t blame you for the past
You left me there to bleed
If it weren’t for you
Then who would I be
And you can’t see me in the dark
Still my heart is on my sleeve
This is one of those prime examples where a person’s deepest pain gets transformed into unbridled beauty through song. It’s also the kind of catchy, cathartic, softly stirring serenade that could, in the right hands, elevate the London-based Faith onto the global stage. After all, Adele is singing happy songs now; someone’s got to fill in the sad soul gap, and Faith – who co-wrote “Heart Is on My Sleeve” with none other than British multi-hyphenate Stormzy, and worked with Grammy-nominated producer Linden Jay to bring her song to life – approaches heartache and longing with just the right blend of refreshing strength and inspired authenticity.
And I can’t help but feel it’s something we’ve both lost
But all I do is wonder whose to make the call
You can do a little better you’ve been cold
Now to find the words
To let you know
Given all that, it might come as a surprise to learn that Faith was previously having second thoughts about her music career. She explains how this song served as the reinforcement she needed to continue forward and soldier on.
“This song came at a time when I’d left my label and I was in an unsure mindset of whether I wanted to continue music,” Faith tells Atwood Magazine. “It gave me a real lease of life to know I have more to give as a singer, and this was a beautiful opportunity to showcase me and my friends on a record that has more of a church feel. At the time I needed something soothing and Stormzy really threw me a lifeline; I was really lucky to get the opportunity to write with him, it just feels really special.”
Don’t make me beg, I’m on my knees
And I can’t blame you for the past
I have to set you free
But if it weren’t for you
Then who would I be
You can’t hear me from afar
Still my heart is on my sleeve
I toss and turn and try to make it through
Been wondering if you’re out there
Feeling the same way too
But, I could do a little bit of find where it all went wrong,
But you could say the words
To solve it all
“Heart Is on My Sleeve” can be a love song not just to a person, but to music incarnate. It hurts in all the right ways, and leaves us breathless, hopeful, dazed, and amazed. Needless to say this is one for the books, and we can only hope that more people are moved by Sophie Faith’s music the way that she’s instantly and effortlessly moved us with this song.
Maybe you will learn in time
That you been on my mind,
Where did we go?
Will we crash and burn?
Or is it time for the tables to turn?
Don’t make me beg, ’cause I’m on my knees
And I can’t blame you for the past
I need to set you free
And if I’m not close to the edge,
Then where would I be
I can’t see you in the dark
Still my heart is on my sleeve
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“Heart Is on My Sleeve” – Sophie Faith
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