Joanna Borne shares the intimate and atmospheric new single ‘Angels’.
Merging ethereal production, slow, cinematic soundscaping and haunting melodies, ‘Angels’ is a poignant exploration of humanity’s timeless questions—what comes after, why we’re here, and what meaning lies beneath it all. Balancing the drama of baroque pop with London Grammar-esque insturmentation, Borne’s songwriting glows with vulnerability and purpose.
Growing through warming piano, reverb soaked half live, half electronic drums and swirling synth, the track is topped with Borne’s effortlessly captivating lead vocal, blending its emotive delivery with some soaring melodies.
“Opinions and theories about the big questions we can’t answer with full certainty may divide us, but these questions still connect us. We all wonder what happens after this life and what it’s really like. We all ask why we’re here and find ourselves on a search for meaning and truth. That search is what I’m expressing in my song ‘Angels.’” Joanna shares.
The track’s creation was just as layered as its sound. ‘Angels’ began as a raw self-produced demo—built from piano, haunting choir textures, and atmospheric synths. As Joanna recalls, “The track began as a self-built demo. I started it with piano, some random choir layers, and some synths which ended up being kept in the final production. I brought the partially written song and demo to David Lehr who co-wrote the song, added more production, and brought the song closer to the finish line. Given the pain I felt within this existential crisis that produced the song ‘Angels,’ I lost desire to complete ‘Angels’ for a long time. It sat on the shelf for years, until I brought it back out and showed Jesse Brock who finished the production and mixed it. John Greenham then mastered the song and it is finally ready to go out.”
Listen below:
