“The Way It Goes”
NYC-based artist Ella Galvin released her newest single and accompanying video, “The Way It Goes” on May 10. Galvin is gearing up to release her debut EP, The Way It Goes, on June 14th, with this as the title track. As a Massachusetts transplant, Galvin’s work discusses her experience as a young, queer woman trying to make it in New York City. She thrives in the space between genres, mixing pop, rock, soul, and jazz elements into her creative identity.
“The Way It Goes” starts slowly, with new instrumental elements joining the arrangement every few bars. Short, staccato guitar notes tremble under Galvin’s soaring voice before being joined by a gentle drum kit. Something about Galvin’s vocal tone is reminiscent of a Y2K pop star, bright and earnest with just a touch of gravity. Once the second verse begins and all the instruments have made their entrance the track settles into something solid and cohesive.
The electric guitar line stays staccato, but with added distortion and grittiness, giving the track more of an edge. Meanwhile layered, dreamy harmonies add depth to the vocals. During the bridge, the guitar fades back, giving the drum kit a chance to drive the track forward, but Galvin ultimately gives into the pop-rock vibe, bringing the guitar back to center stage.
Lyrically, Galvin is weighing the pros and cons of reconnecting with an ex. She’s torn between the joy of familiarity and the potential disappointment when wounds are reopened, but either way, she knows she has to break from the cycle of loneliness. It’s an internal struggle between staying true to herself and the desire to feel “wanted.”
The video, directed by Cel Sanel, echoes the Y2K pop sounds with visual, stylistic choices, all straight out of a 2002 coming-of-age-film. We meet Galvin as she sends a text from her bed, complete with bright eye makeup, grungy clothing, and messy space buns. The video follows along as she leaves for a date, but finds the guy to be totally boring. Instead, she dips out to meet a friend, this time in the most iconic look - an entirely crocheted set, including a green metallic jacket and a silver bralette mini skirt set, complete with tall, metallic boots. Just as she shed the neutral look for something bold and unapologetic, Galvin has left behind the date and joined her friend to dance around the streets of New York. She’s finally being true to herself, and might have found all she needs in this friendship. Throughout the video, they become closer and closer, before finally sealing it with a kiss.
Galvin has been performing around NYC and Boston for a few years, launching herself as a solo project in 2022. Hopefully she will be following the EP with a tour, so make sure you add her to your watch list.
