London-based American songwriter Muna Ileiwat recently popped onto our radar with “Pity Party”, and she now stakes a claim to remain on there firmly with lovely new single “Twenty-Seven”, the title track from her forthcoming debut EP. She says:
“The title track of the EP, ‘Twenty-Seven’ is a coming of age song. It explores the transformative and existential emotions of adulthood that started to surface and become prevalent for me at the age of 27. Released alongside a music video shot at my grandmother’s house in Curaçao”
With a spine of contemplative guitar and a more spacious approach, “Twenty-Seven” finds Ileiwat picking apart the tough parts of adjusting to adulthood. “Doubt what you love / It’s part of the process” she singly nihilistically in the opening segment, before “Twenty-Seven” dips into a more beat-focused R&B sound where she explores her needs and desires. She doesn’t go deep lyrically, but the way her simple exhalations and the tone of her voice combine with the melody gives us a picture of some bittersweet soul searching. To round out “Twenty-Seven” she returns to that flippant, self-critical tone we heard on “Pity Party”, signing off “There is ambition and there is defeat / or a whiny bitch underneath / I can’t wait to be in my 40s.”
The video for “Twenty-Seven” is a delight too, having been filmed at Ileiwat’s grandmother’s house in Curaçao. The singer says:
“My grandma’s house in Curaçao is probably one of my favourite places in the world. There’s so much history in that house; it’s where my mom grew up, where my parents’ families first met and where my brothers and I have many of our own fond childhood memories. Every room tells a story of my family history. The house brings me so much peace and being a part of the visuals for a song that explores so many existential feelings kinda felt like clarity. Guy did an amazing job at capturing the space and all its sentimental value.”
Watch the video below or find “Twenty-Seven” on streaming platforms.
Muna Ileiwat’s Twenty-Seven EP comes out on August 19 through Fear Of Missing Out (pre-order/save). You can find her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
