Coraline James releases new single “Maybe”

Hailing from Kitchener in Ontario, Coraline James is an artist who’s been described with tongue-in-cheek accuracy as “Josh Groban on mushrooms,” bringing a theatrical flair and sharp observations to the music space with a sound that’s as offbeat as it is emotionally engaging. A former classical singer and choral director with international performances under her belt, she’s no stranger to disciplined vocal technique but it’s in her latest chapter, as a genre-fluid solo artist, that her voice truly finds its own distinct colour.

Making her entrance in 2021, she shared her debut single “A Forest in a City” which she followed up with the sophomore outing, “Hold Your Hand” the next year. With the release of her debut 2023 EP, In the River, produced by JUNO Award-winner Michael Wojewoda, she leaned more confidently into alternative folk, embracing vulnerability and texture without losing her playfully quirky edge.

Now, James returns with “Maybe,” the lead single from her upcoming sophomore EP Brambles, set for release on June 11th. It’s a track that distils what makes her such a compelling listen; unpredictable yet grounded, intimate but laced with humour. Exploring the thrilling uncertainty of new love, “Maybe” captures that emotionally chaotic limbo between wide-eyed optimism and the creeping fear of heartache.

It’s a lyrical balancing act, conveyed with a disarming sincerity that never drifts into cliché. The track is an upbeat delight, stitching buoyant instrumentation with delicate, conversational vocals that owe as much to Lily Allen’s delivery as they do to the grand emotional builds of Florence + The Machine. The result is pop that feels human, relatable in its messiness and charming in its musical contrasts. The song’s bridge takes an unexpected but welcome detour with a moment that nods to The Cranberries, adding a jagged edge that cuts through the shimmer.

Opened by Coraline’s graceful vocal flutters, the intricate plucks of acoustic instrumentation and laid back plod of bass glides above the brush of percussion before the arrangement expands with warm brass textures and dazzling melodic leads. Progressing with subtly grooving rhythm, smooth ebb and flow and poignant lyricism delivered via memorable melodic songwriting, “Maybe” sees Coraline james deliver a superb slice of her highly original and thoroughly enjoyable indie folk sound.

Backing James once again are producers Michael Wojewoda and Lisa Patterson, whose collaborative influence helps give Brambles its sonic identity. With support from the Ontario Arts Council and the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund, the EP will see her continue her rise as an exciting voice in Canadian music which embraces eccentricity and emotional clarity in equal measure.

Commenting on the single, she shares, “A lot of my writing is very cathartic. The opening line, ‘if you break my heart, I’ll write a song,’ was essentially a joke I told my boyfriend about how I tend to write songs when I’m hurting, but it eventually became this track. Maybe is that moment when you are trying to rein the giddy excitement you have in a new relationship that you could see lasting forever, but it’s too soon to tell.”

Listen to Maybe below

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