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Apr 17, 2024 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Tori Bridges

Last year, Santa Rosa, CA-based indie singer/songwriter Meli Levi released their solo debut EP, Crowned, their first project after a five-year hiatus from music. Prior to that period, Levi first cut their teeth living in Seattle and playing in the band Seeing Blind. These days, Levi crafts an emotive blend of folk rock and blues, leaning into moments of gentle intimacy and well-honed grooves. Later this year, they are set to return with another new EP, All Things May Be, which they teased with new single, “Echo In A Valley.” Today, they’re following with another new single, “Close to You,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Close to You” sees Levi taking on a bright indie rock energy, letting the track shine with playful guitar lines, handclaps, and insistent melodies. Levi’s layered vocals dance above the track’s breezy rhythm section before bursting into a hook-filled chorus, soaking the song in a warm, sunlit sheen. Lyrically, Levi navigates the distance between themselves and a partner, longing for intimacy. Yey, even though the lyrics hint towards absence, there’s no true discord to be found in the track’s easygoing melodies, only a smiling, airy charm. The results are sweet and heartfelt, and the track comes paired with a joyously sunny music video, painting Levi’s lyrics in moments of romance, laughter and friendship.

As Levi explains,““Close to You” was written after a heated argument with my lover where I watched myself completely shut down and close off, when really underneath all of that I just longed to be in their arms again. It’s about remembering the longing for connection and intimacy with others that we all have as humans. Remembering what is actually important and not getting lost in the head-down type of drudgery that our daily routines and ‘to do’ lists can bring. I wanted it to be a simple song that you could just bop around to and have fun with.”

Check out the song and video below. Pre-save the track here. The All Things May Be EP is out later this year.