Singer-songwriter Clara Mann continues to establish herself in the indie-folk scene with her new single, ‘News From Home’. The intimate, tender track arrives alongside the announcement of her second album, ‘Wishbone’, set for release on October 23rd.
Led by Mann’s delicate, conversational vocals, ‘News From Home’ paints a portrait of small towns set among vast landscapes. Opening with “Looked outside my window yesterday / As the sun was coming up / Everyone back home says / I’ll know a good thing when it comes”, she immediately captures the bittersweet feeling of looking back at a place that shaped her.
Sonically, the track evolves into a timeless blend of warm acoustic guitar, subtle country twang, and textures that feel both expansive and intimate. Producer and drummer Fabian Prynn’s soft percussion lends the arrangement a gentle sense of movement without overpowering Mann’s voice. Every element in the song is given room to breathe, creating a spacious soundscape that allows her vocals to remain at the center. Mann’s strength lies in her ability to embrace restraint, delivering an impactful vocal performance that never reaches for unnecessary climaxes. Rather than building toward a dramatic crescendo, the song’s power comes from remaining in a delicate and reflective space, allowing the instrumentation and emotion in Mann’s voice to linger throughout.
Alongside the single, a visualizer, shot by Louise Mason, that premiered on Mann’s and state51 Conspiracy’s YouTube channels. The dreamy, grainy footage follows the singer-songwriter among windswept seaside rocks. Under the video, Mann reflected on the track,“It’s about visiting and looking at my hometown, knowing that, whilst this used to be everything, my whole life, now I have a big wide life of my own, and things to get back to - and holding both of those next to each other, and seeing how they make each other more beautiful, and also more strange.”
Ahead of the October release of her 11-track album, 'Wishbone', Clara Mann will embark on her Wishbone Tour. The first stop is on September 16th with a performance at Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany.
Sam Russo
Image: ‘News From Home’ Official Single Cover