<p>A captivating mood setter with a strong literary bent, London singer/songwriter Paris Paloma built up a steady cache of independent singles throughout the early part of the 2020s before signing with the Nettwerk
... <p>A captivating mood setter with a strong literary bent, London singer/songwriter Paris Paloma built up a steady cache of independent singles throughout the early part of the 2020s before signing with the Nettwerk label in late 2022. The following year, she released "Labour," a mercurial folk-pop anthem that explored the uneven give-and-take in relationships and challenged societal norms. A swell of viral success soon turned the song into a legitimate hit on the U.K. singles chart, paving the way for her full-length debut, 2024's Cacophony.</p>
<p>Growing up in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, Paloma's creativity was explored through myriad avenues. Attending an all-girls boarding school, she initially studied art and creative writing before music took over as her primary focus. The performing experience she gained singing at large events for classmates served her well, as did her years of creative writing. By 2020, Paloma was actively pursuing a music career and began recording her songs, which were built around a loose folk framework but incorporated everything from Greek mythology and art history to feminism.</p>
<p>Early singles like "Narcissus" and "Cradle" incorporated gentle acoustic guitar and rich sonic backdrops, framing Paloma's spellbinding vocals, which are often stacked in dense harmonic layers not unlike Florence Welch or Hozier. Things began to pick up after the release of her 2021 EP, Cemeteries and Socials. Songs like 2022's "The Fruits" and her cover of Rainbow Kitten Surprise's "It's Called: Freefall" racked up significant streams, and by year's end she had signed a contract with Nettwerk Music Group.</p>
<p>The lush "Notre Dame" was Paloma's first single of 2023, but it was the follow-up, "Labour," that ultimately became her breakout track. With a dark, hooky chorus and lyrics that called out long-held expectations of a woman's role in a relationship, the song struck a chord with listeners, particularly on TikTok, where it went viral. Before long, "Labour" had entered numerous charts, including a Top 50 berth on the U.K. singles chart. She followed it later that year with "Yeti," a collaboration with American artist Old Sea Brigade. All of this led up to the release of her full-length debut, Cacophony, which arrived in August 2024, hitting number 23 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart.</p>
<p>Timothy Monger<br />AllMusic.com</p>
