When Gabrielle Papillon released her sixth album, Keep The Fire, back in 2017, it marked a massive shift for her style. Having thoroughly explored some folky territory, Papillon decided it was time to make a drastic move into the realm of pop music, and with this week’s release of her brand new single, “What Do I Know,” it seems that the shift has stuck.
Co-written with UK songwriter Jonas Persson and produced by Corey LeRue of Halifax’s Neon Dream, tentatively approaches the track with a gentle build on piano, before launching into a big cinematic sound.
Papillion says that she drew inspiration from Adele’s theme for the 007 film “Skyfall,” though places her own twist on the minor key with a good deal more uncertain questioning than Adele provides with her grandiose secret agent swagger. Papillon’s “What Do I Know” conveys just as much uncertainty as the title suggests by voicing some nagging doubts all throughout the song. The lyrics seem tailored to some thoughts that are more naturally found in the small hours of the night.
Then again, if you’re a rogue agent who is being gaslighted by the very agency you work and has just had your childhood manor blown up (spoiler alert), you may very well have some nagging doubts. Might be time for a follow-up film already.
Papillon has plans for a follow-up of her own, hinting at more fresh material.
“This next collection of songs is the result of a lot of epiphanies, some accidental, and some I had to work so hard for,” says Papillon. “It’s also in every way the embodiment of a lot of choices I made in the last year and a half. Perhaps the most important of these choices was to trust my gut.”
Tour Dates:
05.01-05.19 – Charlottetown, PE @ East Coast Music Awards
05.16-18.19 – Wrexham, UK @ Focus Wales