Headed North By Noel Is A Melodic Journey Of Vulnerability And Escape

Noel, a 20-year-old artist and songwriter from Stockholm, Sweden, unveils a poignant narrative wrapped in melodic tranquility with his latest ballad, Headed North. The track takes listeners on a journey through the intricate landscapes of vulnerability, fear, and a somewhat melancholic acceptance of transient love.

Noel describes the writing process of Headed North as akin to a therapy session, a safe space where emotions are unravelled and words flow with unbridled honesty. The artist confesses to a pattern of fleeing from the precipice of serious relationships, a defence mechanism against potential heartbreak. This self-awareness, coupled with his self-proclaimed overthinking, crafts a lyrical narrative that is both relatable and heart-wrenchingly beautiful. It’s a cliche, yes, but one that resonates, because who among us hasn’t, at some point, feared the vulnerability that comes with genuine connection?

The lyrics of Headed North weave a tapestry that intricately blends the sweetness of ephemeral moments with the bitter aftertaste of what must end. The opening lines, “Our tongues so orange from the aperol we / Had way too much and lost our self-control we,” immediately plunge listeners into a vivid scene, a snapshot of carefree intimacy that is both intoxicating and transient. The imagery of “orange” tongues and losing “self-control” paints a picture of youthful recklessness, a momentary escape from the looming reality that perhaps this is all temporary.

The chorus, “I’ll take the first train headed north / Before it all goes sideways / We’ll leave our feelings on this floor / And save our hearts some mileage,” speaks volumes of a preemptive escape, a safeguard against the inevitable pain that lingers on the horizon of love’s potential demise. Noel’s voice flows with a firm resolve and carries the weight of this decision with a mixture of regret and steadfastness.

The recurring imagery of “White linens” and the summer that “sees the good in us” juxtaposes purity and temporality. It’s a metaphor for a love that is genuine yet destined to wither, much like the fleeting nature of summer itself. The acknowledgment that “love withers” and the subsequent decision to “take it with us” is a melancholic acceptance that all beautiful things must, at some point, come to an end.

The concluding lines, “No calling while you’re out / Don’t text me when you’re wasted / No driving to my house / Burn the yellow pages,” signify a clean break, a conscious effort to preserve the beauty of what once was, untainted by the messiness of dragged-out goodbyes. It’s a mature, albeit painful, acknowledgment that some things are better left in their beautiful moments, undisturbed by the chaos of emotional entanglement.

Headed North is more than a ballad; it’s a melodic farewell to what could have been, a gentle letting go of a love that was never meant to weather the storms of time. Noel, with his tender voice and emotionally charged lyrics, invites listeners to find solace in acceptance, to find beauty in transient connections, and to find strength in vulnerability.

In a world that often romanticises eternal love, Headed North stands out as a melancholic yet beautiful reminder that not all love stories are meant to have a happily ever after. And perhaps there is a unique beauty in the courage to recognise, accept, and gently let go before things go south.