The tenderness permeating‘candlelight’ is absolutely wonderful. We appreciate its alternative allure, as it gently weaves in between indie-folk and orchestral influences with charisma and deep eclecticism. The result is a record that feels dreamy and cinematic, a slice of heavenly textures and anthemic kinetic energy, all wrapped in inventive production and spacious reverbs. meelu’s evocative and luscious vocals crown the record with unmatched elegance, taking listeners on a hypnotic sonic roller-coaster, one that is part abstract and part vivid.
In that sense, heightened attention must be given to the inspiration that resulted in ‘candlelight’ being written. The song was born after the loss of her grandmother, her ‘Oumi’, a former Springbok archer and her childhood archery coach. It took quite a lot of time for meelu to process such a heavy loss, and at first, everything looked bleak, as she was struggling to find purpose and normality. Yet, eventually a sudden realisation came; as we are told: “those we lose would want us to keep living, and to celebrate them”.
Starting from meelu’s personal experience, ‘candlelight’ well adapts to a wider reflection on grief and loss. The readers will know how hard it is to let go; everyone has their own way of processing difficult emotions. The South African-born songtress is here to remind us that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and rather than hiding from change, we should embrace it. Be open to the different seasons of life.
Recommended! Discover ‘candlelight’ now: