Signing to new label Birdland Records in 2013 after a couple of her YouTube cover videos (Ben Howard's "The Fear" and SBTRKT's "Hold On") came to the public's attention, Sherwell has since been working with acclaimed producer David Kosten (Everything Everything, Bat For Lashes) on a debut album.
Its first single, the atmospheric, transportive and hook-filled "Love Somebody", was released in September as the lead track of an EP that also featured prior blog favourite, the delightfully blissed out "Low", and a mesmerising remix (of LS) from fast rising Glaswegian producer Turtle.
This release captured the attention of publications such as DIY, Clash, Q, Indie Shuffle, HillyDilly, Pigeons and Planes and NME Magazine, as well as the ear of Lauren Laverne, who played the single regularly on her flagship morning show on BBC Radio 6. Notable support also came from Bella Union's Simon Raymonde, who supported both "Low" and "Love Somebody" on his radio shows on Amazing Radio and XFM.
Sherwell is clearly an artist whose music rests on emotion. Across ten sparkling tracks on the aforementioned LP, tales of hometown (island) glory, love, lust and heartbreak are shared, all wrapped in great hooks and delivered via her unique and enchanting vocal. At every turn, she displays a songwriting nous far beyond her twenty-something years. Summer 2014 saw her making festival appearances at The Great Escape, Pete The Monkey in France and FarmFestival in Somerset, culminating in a sold-out London headline show at The Islington to mark the EP release, and also a slot at Norwich Sound And Vision.
New track "Islander", from her forthcoming EP, inspired by her youth in Guernsey, is a fiery, enthusiastic and defiant shout from the English Channel. With thumping brevity and an ear-worm of a chorus, “Islander” stridently confirms Sherwell’s pop-writing ability, and is sure to make even more people stand up and pay attention.
Her show at the Sebright Arms on January 8th sold out and January has also seen Robyn hit the top 10 most blogged artists in the world on Hype Machine. “Islander” has so far amassed 200,000 Spotify plays.
Heart
Robyn Sherwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Endlessly clenched in self defence
And you never miss
Each time you go to strike me one more blow
There's no room, no room, for its tired beat
There's no room, as the cold climbs in
My heart gets no rest
And it hurts my chest
The push and the pull, the open wound again
There's no room, no room, for its tired beat
There's no room, as the cold rushes in
To every bit of my heart
To every bit of my heart
To every bit of my heart
To every bit of my heart, heart
My heart fell apart
Recently from bruises you let fall
But what's another scar
Another mark, when every mark is yours
There's no room, no room, for its tired beat
There's no room, as the cold rushes in
To every bit of my heart
To every bit of my heart
To every bit of my heart
To every bit of my heart
The lyrics to Robyn Sherwell’s song “Heart” are deeply emotional and evocative. The song speaks to the experience of having a heart that has been hurt so much that it has closed itself off and become rigid with self-protection. The first verse communicates the feeling that the heart is a fist, tightly clenched in order to protect itself from further harm. It is always on guard, bracing itself for the next blow. Even still, the heart is vulnerable to feeling hurt and pain, as can be seen in the second verse when the singer describes the ache in her chest and the open wound that she endures when trying to let someone in. Despite these painful experiences, the chorus is a plea to those whose heart is guarded to let others in and to risk entering into relationships fully.
The bridge of the song is a lament for the singer’s broken heart. She speaks of how her heart recently fell apart because of bruises someone else let fall. Even though the heart has been hurt before, it is still capable of feeling the pain of new wounds. The final repetition of the chorus is a reminder that every part of the heart deserves to experience the joy and connection that comes from letting someone in fully.
Overall, the lyrics to “Heart” speak to the universal human experience of both vulnerability and self-protection. The song reminds us that even though it can be tempting to close ourselves off when we have been hurt in the past, the only way to truly open ourselves up to the world is to take risks and allow ourselves to be vulnerable. The song illustrates how important it is to let our guard down and allow ourselves to experience the full range of emotions that come from love and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart is a fist
My heart is hardened and closed off, closed off from any potential hurt.
Endlessly clenched in self defence
My heart is always on the defensive, always ready to protect itself from any perceived attack.
And you never miss
You always find a way to hurt me, to attack me when I least expect it.
Each time you go to strike me one more blow
Every time you hurt me, you make it harder for me to open up and trust again.
There's no room, no room, for its tired beat
My heart has been through so much pain and hurt that it has no energy left to beat normally.
There's no room, as the cold climbs in
The pain and hurt has made my heart cold and closed off, making it harder for me to feel love and warmth.
My heart gets no rest
My heart is constantly trying to let you in, constantly trying to open up and trust again despite the hurt.
Tirelessly trying to let you in
Despite everything, my heart still wants to let you in, still wants to love and trust you.
And it hurts my chest
The pain and hurt I feel from opening up is physically painful, making my chest ache.
The push and the pull, the open wound again
Opening up to you is a constant struggle, each time feels like reopening a wound that never quite heals.
My heart fell apart
The hurt and pain finally became too much, causing my heart to break and shatter.
Recently from bruises you let fall
The bruising and hurt that you caused led to my heart breaking.
But what's another scar
Despite my heart being shattered and broken, it has experienced so much hurt that another scar is just another painful reminder.
Another mark, when every mark is yours
Every scar and hurt is a result of your actions, making it harder to open up and trust again.
To every bit of my heart
Despite everything, I still hold on to the hope that one day you will truly love and care for every part of my heart.
To every bit of my heart, heart
No matter how much hurt and pain I may feel, my heart still beats with love and hope.
Contributed by Charlie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Woolleywear
Listening to this voice while I paint in my garden. Feeling completely euphoric.
Robyn Sherwell Official
This is lovely to read! So happy to have soundtracked your painting/gardening... sounds blissful!
Lonerranz
This is a really good song.. love it..