With a natural and gorgeous soprano, and some classic roots instrumentation, Kathryn Hallberg has put together a bit of Americana-flavored lesson-making, with elements of her own life stepping in to fill out the details. It’s a pop-friendly production, complete with live-sounding acoustic drums, layers of electric guitar, and a lap steel tying all the breaks together.

Here, the lead vocal just feels right, with almost no harmony at all, showcasing the whispery softness of a single raw vocal take. It is a parable that will be unsurprising to many: when we just put ourselves first, we are not fulfilled.

“Cause when you step away from the lights
When all of the laughter and the music die
You’ll have to come to terms with yourself eventually”— Kathryn Hallberg

Kathryn Hallberg gives us a beautiful moment to reckon with our own tendencies, yielding an opportunity to understand the role we play in making our own destiny.

This song is featured on our Roots collection playlist.