“Love is calling. It’s time to let it through.” These are the inviting opening lines of the chorus of “Andromeda,” a song made popular by the influence of Tiktok and it is not hard to see why. Behind the ethereal melody, hopeful lyrics, and the gentle undulations of the rhythm, there is the sheer songwriting genius of Natalie Laura Mering, otherwise known by her stage name of Weyes Blood. (Pronounced ‘Wize Blood’) Through her genre-fluid work, one can experience hope, heartbreak, and everything in between that comes with living in this world. 

Born in 1988 to a Californian family of musicians, Mering has always been surrounded by music. However, instead of following the more religious path of her parents, she chose to explore her own sound, experimenting with being in several bands from an early age. Her first three albums, “The Outside Room,” released 2011, “The Innocents,” released 2014, and “Front Row Seat to Earth,” were described as ‘haunting yet reflective,’ ‘intimate and idealistic’ among other similar sentiments. This unique soft rock/indie pop sound was likened to indie or horror movie soundtracks, which Mering took influence from in her later work. 

Her fourth and most popular album, “Titanic Rising,” released in April 2019, reached critical acclaim through its depiction of “romantic disappointment, damaged reality, and finding hope,” which was extremely timely, considering the almost dystopian events of the years to come. Inspirations for the album included greats like Kate Bush or The Carpenters, and Mering’s careful lyricism and subtle artistry really shine through in this record and pay homage to the former musicians. “Titanic Rising,” as can be assumed by its name, is mostly melancholic, yet almost content, with a few rays of hope shining through. To Mering, life is confusing, easy to get lost in; but finding an anchor and really taking time to focus on oneself is paramount to making it through everyday life. Also unique to “Titanic Rising” and its sequel record are the short, yet almost necessary instrumental tracks that give the listener a transitional experience that makes it feel like you are not just listening to another album, you are hearing a story or watching a movie. There is an arc playing out amongst the album. 

Her latest album, “And In the Darkness, Hearts Aglow,” was released November of 2022, and it serves as the sequel to “Titanic Rising,” again, as can be inferred by its title. While “Titanic Rising” is, according to Mering, an ‘observation’ of the struggles life brings, therefore bringing about its’ more objective narrative, “In the Darkness” has a personal factor to it; it’s a response to those trying times. As the world moves on from the Covid-19 Pandemic, alongside other turmoil, and heads into an uncertain future, tracks like “It’s Not Just Me, it’s Everybody,” “Hearts Aglow,” and “The Worst is Done” encourage the listener to keep their head held high despite whatever life throws out them. The album held high positions on charts in America and the UK, an impressive feat for an indie musician. 

If you are looking for a new artist to listen to, or perhaps something more; a spark of hope in an otherwise dark time, Weyes Blood is a fantastic artist whose musical narratives portray the depths of human emotion and experience, something that not all musicians today can achieve. Her music can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and basically any major streaming platform.