Bowling Green, Kentucky duo Girl Tones reveal a tender new side on ‘Precious’, the title track from their debut album, out November 6. Written in memory of the sisters’ grandmother, who died in 2020 and affectionately called them her “Precious”, the song explores grief alongside the arrival of new love. “As much as the song is about losing a loved one, it’s also about gaining a new loved one,” Kenzie explains.
Far removed from the muscular rock of previous releases, ‘Precious’ opens with sparse piano before Kenzie’s voice enters alongside a swell of prominent strings. Gentle melodic piano adds colour as the arrangement gradually unfolds, with understated drums quietly driving the latter verses. As Kenzie’s delivery becomes increasingly emotional, the percussion rises with her, while layered, ascending vocals give the song its most powerful moments without disrupting its delicacy.
The accompanying video is similarly restrained, placing the sisters and a piano in the middle of a green field as deer wander peacefully in the background. It’s wonderfully simple, allowing the song’s bittersweet warmth to speak for itself. Rather than dwelling solely in loss, ‘Precious’ finds comfort in the way love continues to enter our lives even as we say goodbye.
