Get To Know May Payne’s Heart-Wrenching EP, Sane
Gaining a cult following in her early teen years, May Payne is no stranger to being publicly vulnerable with her online presence. However, her debut EP, Sane, illustrates how the 21-year-old singer-songwriter has developed and packed an eclectic ensemble of thoughts and feelings into just four indelible songs.
Having followed May back when she had a niche yet marginally popular social media presence, it’s no secret that she has faced her fair share of unnecessary controversy, misogyny and general hate for being a teenage girl. May has evolved over time and developed her mindset to expose painful wounds and reference to the unimaginable but realistic issues of life into a creative outlet, connecting the audience to the melodic truths that they may relate to. The vulnerability that Payne expresses within her artistry uncovers the harsh reality deriving from real, lived experience. The sincerity in the songs is a raw hit of life as a young woman experiencing her way through love, heartbreak and trauma, using the process as a form of self-therapy.
The opening track Between The Lines delves into a spiral of unrequited love and the uncertainty of affection not being reciprocated in the same way, heartbreak and the feeling of disappearing from the heart of another but realising the love is a one-sided occasion. The second track on the extended play, I Hate It When You Touch Me has a phrase that describes the intentions of the song perfectly. Mandatory Intimacy are never usually used together, with intimacy normally being relaxed with an affinity for someone, but within the context of the song, the pairing divulges the raw feel behind the artist’s emotions and the trauma that has been experienced.
The title track Sane explores the feeling of emotional abandonment, being completely disregarded whilst depending on the connection and affection of someone who isn’t invested, yet lives in the back of your mind even though it’s obvious that it’s unhealthy to keep thinking of them and knowing that you’re better off without them.
The closing track to the EP is a perfect end to the continuous amount of pain exhibited throughout the previous songs, building with the delicate melody, almost lullaby-esque to a steady tune, amplifying over the course of the song which could be interpreted as a symbol of healing and growing from the experiences, letting go of the trauma.
The four-track EP was created (written, recorded and produced) by May Payne and her band of friends, which includes producer Noah Curran.
Featuring on BBC Introducing and also as a Fresh On The Net favourite along with supporting NEEVE and playing alongside artists such as Bonnie Kemplay, she is an artist who has a promising career ahead of her.
Knowing how to express and dive into the harsh truths of her personal experiences in such an honest and brutal way, yet creating such heart-wrenchingly beautiful songs out of distressing experiences as a young woman is a skill that Payne seems to have perfected during her process of self-therapy and realisation.
Sane is the emotional soundtrack that the world needs right now.
