Released at the end of October, "We Both Can Fall" marks another milestone in Michellar's prolific resurgence as a San Francisco-based singer-songwriter. After a 40-year hiatus from music—sparked back to life in 2023 by her acceptance into the deYoung Museum's Open Call Exhibition—Michellar has unleashed an astonishing 22 singles in under a year.
This latest offering, a collaboration with local artist Gracie Lou and co-writer Tobias Wilson (whose mastering hails from Staffordshire, UK), introduces the raw ache of marital strain into something profoundly hopeful. Drawing from Michellar's own life upheavals—where songwriting's demands eclipsed her personal world—the track becomes a quiet manifesto for perseverance in love.
From its opening acoustic strum—a nod to classic country balladry that evokes the wide-open vulnerability of a dusty trail—the song unfurls like a heartfelt confession over a flickering campfire. The instrumentation is elegantly sparse: gentle piano ripples underpin the verses, acoustic guitar strums build a rhythmic heartbeat, and subtle strings swell in the chorus like a distant horizon, adding an orchestral warmth without overwhelming the intimacy.
There's a polished pop sheen to the production, recorded in the creative hum of San Francisco, that tempers the folk roots, making it feel both timeless and urgently contemporary. Influences of Kelly Clarkson peek through in the emotive delivery—think the soaring, confessional power of "Because of You"—but Michellar filters it through her own serene lens, trading bombast for breathy nuance.Lyrically, it's a masterclass in empathetic storytelling.
Lines like "never gonna give up 'cuz I need you beside me" capture the duality of the title: falling isn't just descent into despair, but a shared vulnerability that lovers navigate hand-in-hand. The narrative arcs from the "winter of discontent"—those dark transitions where partners "lose sight of each other"—to a defiant spark of optimism, insisting that "the spark of love... will never go away." It's universally relatable, speaking to anyone who's weathered relational storms, yet deeply personal; Michellar has shared how her marriage's rough patches, amplified by her artistic immersion, birthed this catharsis.
Gracie Lou's harmonies elevate it further—her voice weaves in like a trusted confidante, adding layers of skin-tingling sentimentality that turn solo introspection into a duet of mutual rescue. Vocally, Michellar shines with a warm, lived-in timbre that's equal parts soothing and shattering. Her phrasing lingers on the pain points, drawing out syllables like reluctant goodbyes, while Lou's contributions inject a brighter, more resolute edge—creating a dynamic push-pull that mirrors the song's theme. It's not flashy; there's no belting climax or electronic drop.
Instead, the beauty lies in the restraint, the way the track invites you to lean in and feel the quiet superpower of simply carrying on. In a discography already brimming with heartfelt serenity, "We Both Can Fall" stands out as Michellar's most emotionally layered work yet—a tender country-pop hybrid that's as resilient as it is heart breaking. It's the kind of song that doesn't just play; it holds space for your own unspoken battles, reminding us that even in freefall, love's grip can steady the descent. If you're craving music that heals without preaching, stream this now. It's a slow-burn essential for fall playlists.
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