91.5 Chapel Hill 88.9 Manteo 90.9 Rocky Mount 91.1 Welcome 91.9 Fayetteville 90.5 Buxton 94.1 Lumberton 99.9 Southern Pines 89.9 Chadbourn

Kalie Shorr, 'Love Child'

Kalie Shorr has spent years putting her spin on songs with viral covers; on "Love Child," Shorr writes her own origin story, embedded with references to the music that soundtracked it. The first single from her forthcoming I Got Here By Accident EP transforms the tradition of proving your bona fides, offering up her outsider autobiography (shout out, fellow "church camp kid with tarot cards"!) with precision. Lyrically, Shorr pays homage to the Fleetwood Mac and Nirvana tunes that sustained her; she recalls early memories of hearing "Rhiannon," and also the memory of her sister, Ashley Rhiannon.

Produced by Butch Walker, "Love Child" is built on a '90s alt-rock-crossover guitar rock sound that could double as a "name that riff" game (Smashing Pumpkins? R.E.M.? Collective Soul?). Whatever the exact reference may be, "Love Child" is all Shorr, incorporating her influences – classic radio, throwback rock – with specificity and structure that feel country.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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