New Zealand singer and songwriter Mel Parsons returns with ‘I Got The Lonely’ - the first single from her fourth, upcoming album recorded in LA with celebrated American producer Mitchell Froom (Suzanne Vega, Crowded House, Elvis Costello, Lindsay Buckingham/Christine McVie).
‘I Got The Lonely’ marks a new chapter in Parsons’ respected career, with a darker vibe and a bigger and fuller sound, created under the guidance of Froom and a talented cast of musicians. They include bass player Kaveh Rastegar (John Legend, Sia), guitarist Adam Levy (Norah Jones), drummer Ted Poor (Andrew Bird) and Froom on keyboards.
“I had been wanting to work with Mitchell for a few years, and our schedules finally aligned this year when I was on tour in America,” says Parsons. “Mitchell and I had first been in touch back about working together back in 2015, but I’ve loved his work for a long time - he has produced some of my favourite albums.”
‘I Got The Lonely’ was inspired in a roundabout way by the late Tom Petty.
“I was listening to a lot of Tom Petty at the time. The actual song has nothing to do with him really, but I guess it was inspired by him in some unconscious sense. He had just passed away and I was going back through his catalogue and was blown away all over again. Something in his songwriting hits me in a very emotional way, and I guess that’s the feeling I am trying to emulate with ‘I Got the Lonely’.
Parsons has collected an impressive list of accolades since she first emerged on the indie-folk scene and has forged her own path as an independent, self-managed artist, with three critically acclaimed albums - and an upcoming fourth - to her name. She has won over audiences the old-fashioned way, through relentless touring, which has taken her to every corner of the globe.