Here is the video for the wonderfully catchy and memorable The Act by UK artist Bess Atwell. This is contemporary dream-folk at its finest. Over ethereal sonic layers and a compelling rhythm, Atwell’s voice is gorgeously, dreamily melodic. In the accompanying video, we see Atwell dancing alone and singing on stage to an empty room, reinforcing the isolation in her introspective lyrics.
Atwell’s words are resolute and resilient, inspired by leaving behind everything that is familiar to start afresh somewhere entirely new. Her lyricism captures the determination she felt alongside the isolation and trepidation. When she repeats, “I walk alone,” you know she’ll do what she has to do and make it work. Atwell explains: “This song was written when I had just moved to Quebec, where I lived for 9 months. It was a bird’s-eye view of the relationships I had chosen to leave behind, not just physically. It’s an empowering song for me that basically says, ‘I didn’t want to have to do this alone, but I absolutely can.'” It’s raw, exposing and yet assured.
Alongside the single release, for which she worked with renowned Los Angeles producer Chris Coady, Atwell has announced a headline show at The Barbican in London in February 2027; details here. After the success of her breakout 2021 album, Already, Always, and the well-received follow-up, 2024’s Light Sleeper, Atwell has now signed to Nettwerk, and we can expect more well-crafted, confessional songs from this acclaimed singer-songwriter. The Act is the start of a new chapter.
