Everything begins with the simplicity of an acoustic guitar, but ‘Artery’ soon opens up, as a bassline and CLAY’s soulful vocals join the proceedings. Then, the chorus comes along to take it all to the next level.

Lyrically, CLAY is singing about the ache that comes with adoring someone who doesn’t return the affection: “Open up this artery / and cut it out so I can breathe / or else there will be nothin’ left of me”.

“When something seems impossible to talk about, whether it’s traumatic, shameful, embarrassing, light hearted or dark and moody (in my case usually the latter), I turn to music,” CLAY describes. “When a wound is fresh, or even when it’s old yet tender to touch, I turn to music. To melody, to lyrics.”

“This song was probably one of the hardest songs I’ve ever had to write (I say had to because I don’t choose what comes) because it contains such potent and deeply painful truths. I won’t disclose the details a) for my own privacy and protection but also b) because I think that it’s important with songs like this, to allow listeners to define what it means for them.

“That’s one of the main reasons why I love making art so much. Leaving space for interpretation, space for others to fill up with their own stories, heartbreaks, experiences, etc. Once a song has left my body it no longer belongs to me, it never really did. I am simply a vessel.”

CLAY’s upcoming EP ‘Breathing Into Bloom’ promises to dig deeper into her soul-searching sounds, as a follow-up to her 2019 ‘hues’ EP.

“What I present to the world is light. Light that I don’t always see reflected back at me when I look in the mirror, but one that everyone seems to notice. I think this song is a good example of that juxtaposition. Heartbreaking lyrics living in a beautiful, airy, sunny, bright sonic world. Internal world vs. external projection. I love when I am able to capture that, because it actually makes the pain of the lyrics and song itself more bearable.”

‘Artery’ is out now. The ‘Breathing Into Bloom’ EP will be released soon.