If you are interested or seen the Le Violon d’Ingres, a black-and-white photograph by American artist Man Ray, of a woman from the back nude with two f-holes painted to show the similarities of the shape of her body and a violin, than the new single ‘Moniqué’ by London-based singer-songwriter, Freya Everest might be the song for you.
The 27-year-old singer takes influence from this photograph that was published in a magazine back in 1924, to explore the tension between intimacy and objectification, while also including Freya’s own experiences navigating desire, trust and safety.
As an art-pop track, ‘Moniqué’ begins with strong violin bow strokes and plucks, as Everest sets the scene of this woman in the photograph running away with the photographer with lyrics, “Moniqué ran away with her lover. She sat up on his bed, a velvet caress pinned her legs to the edge of the mattress.”
Exploring themes of desire, power and vulnerability, Everest isn’t just singing but sharing poetry alongside her a cappella, keyboards and the cabasa, a percussion instrument that is constructed with loops of steel ball chain wrapped around a wooden cylinder. Through her soft vocals, Everest continues with lyrics, “She is a woman like many others caught within his gaze. As the click sounds, she is found frozen in her place. She is a woman like many others scared to walk alone. As the click sounds, she feels how brittle are her bones.”
The track balances electronic elements with folk sensibilities and can be heard while painting or frolicking through the fields.
Keep up with Freya Everest:
