WXTJ Writes! On Nahlij Corbin’s New Single “Hard to Say”
The world is beyond ready for Nahlij Corbin
His upcoming single Hard to Say perfectly exemplifies why.
Written in the fall of 2020 during a period of personal reckoning, Hard to Say is an incisive journey into the heart and mind of its writer, 22-year-old Nahlij Corbin. Writing with passionate detail, Nahlij’s lyricism evokes feelings from a forgotten age. Hard to Say reflects the nostalgic nihilism that ran deep in many of us during the time of confusion and vertigo that was 2020.
“It’s hard to say when it stopped but really babe, no one cared,” Nahlij cries again and again in the chorus.
For an irreverent garage rock anthem, Hard to Say is deeply introspective as Nahlij interrogates his own experiences with love, loss, and authenticity.
Hard to Say was actually recorded live in one complete take, done in a room with a band full of his longtime collaborators. The authenticity and musical rawness that Nahlij captured in that session is exactly what makes Hard to Say so irresistible, and is why it stands out amongst a sea of digitally produced and manicured tracks.
A deft songwriter, Nahlij fuses indie, folk, rock, and blues into his compelling style. His voice is disarmingly honest, so saturated with soul that you wouldn’t believe it comes from the mouth of a 22 year old.
With each line, Nahlij invites listeners into the back rooms of his psyche, offering an unashamed picture of himself that, somehow, still leaves you with more questions than answers. By asking his fans to take a constant emotional journey with him, Nahlij develops a personal relationship with the listener’s own experience, and thereby, their person.
Hard to Say will be released on December 2nd, 2022. Check it out on all streaming platforms when it comes out.
By Elie Bashkow (4th year, UVA Music) and Benjamin Christopher
Photo courtesy of Elliot Crotteau
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