The best thing about festivals is discovering new artists. Sure, the main stage headliners and their companions are the big draw. But the smaller stages, whether “Introducing…” or otherwise, are where the most exciting part of the day can be found.
In 2022, Brooke Combe played the King Tut’s Stage at TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow. By 2023, she had graduated to the Main Stage, proudly sporting a Scotland National Team football top as part of her outfit. During those years, she released numerous songs and a mixtape entitled “Black Is The New Gold,” all to much praise and growing expectation.
The East Coast of Scotland and soul are not commonly associated with each other, but Brooke’s natural tones and easy manner ooze so perfectly that you soon believe that where she grew up is actually part of Memphis, or Detroit, label homes to so many pioneering Motown artists.
I have a soft spot for Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and all such artists. In Brooke Combe, I’ve found a contemporary who carries the mantle without imitation, readily carving her own path with an effortless cool.
‘Dancing At The Edge Of The World” is her new release (on all major platforms from August 1st) and serves as an introduction to her forthcoming debut album. Written shortly after parting ways with a major label, Brooke says of the song, “It was quite a crucial point in my career. I had to go through that to find my feet. I had to stay true to myself and when I finally had the freedom, my forthcoming debut album pretty much wrote itself. The title of the track came from a book my producer was reading at the time and I instantly resonated with the quote due to the feelings I had surrounding my situation.”
From the effortless groove of the intro to the silky smooth warmth that emanates from Brooke’s vocal, the recording finds home in your mind easily. As it plays, you hear it, feel it, and instantly fall in love all at once.
If “Dancing At The Edge Of The World” is a sign of what is yet to come, then I, for one, cannot wait to hear the rest.
https://song.link/s/2BU1bI7FsgbXwjdYVSIRB0