Feel Me (Ivy Kane album)

***Feel Me*** is the debut album by New Zealand recording artist Ivy Kane. It was released 19 June, 2015 after three introduction singles from the album, Though not making much of an impact globally, upon debut of the albums first charting week, the album became a huge success in Kane's home country of New Zealand and Australia where the album charted at Number 3. The album also has contributions from Irish recording artist Kaden Walsh whom discovered her in 2014 after having his drummer discover a cover of her singing Walsh's "*Wild Horses"* (2004).

*Feel Me* started its album roll out on 5 May, 2014 with the single "Deeper Than Most" which failed to chart anywhere globally. However has, as of December 10, 2023 garnered over 800 Million views on YouTube due to both her rising popularity post-2015 album launches and passing of the same year in 2023. The second single that was released on 6 October of the same year was its title track "Feel Me". Having reached a peak of Number 18 in New Zealand and Number 20 in Australia, it became her first Top 20 in both country thanks to a more heavier budget in her music video. It would then be after the launch of two singles that due to the varying success of each track, that under the recommendation of Walsh, that the next single be "Its My Right" which was launched half a year after the previous single on 27 April, 2015. The single, though fairing more success in Australia and New Zealand, her home country more so, which saw her reaching her first Top 10 and second Top 20 in Australia. The single would then go on to chart in Canada to where it reached Number 79 for a singular week, with this in mind, and the third single released, the album would then be given a launch date of 20 July, 2015 alongside a fourth single to further push sales for the album.

## Background

In March of 2013, Ivy Kane would upload a post to YouTube of herself singing alongside a school friend, whom had learned guitar, Kaden Walsh's 2004 hit "Wild Horses". Kane had openly admitted in the video that she was a massive fan of Walsh's style and had openly been inspired to begin writing music because of that specific song, it would later be in that on 27 April, 2013 that she would get an email from Walsh's former band member Rowan O'Downey in regards to the performance. It was during this time that, though the video had only reached 2,413 views on YouTube a month after the songs release, that Ivy Kane had received an email from O'Downey which would later go onto reveal saying:

Dear Ivy,

I hope this email finds you well! I wanted to reach out after coming across your YouTube cover of Kaden Walsh's "Wild Horses."

First off, let me say your rendition absolutely blew me away. Your voice is stunning - so rich, smooth and full of emotion. You perfectly captured the heartache and longing in the lyrics. I got chills listening to your take on the bridge and final chorus.

As I mentioned, I was incredibly moved by your rendition and immediately passed it along to Kaden. And to say the least, you made quite an impression on him! Kaden was just as floored as I was by your vocal talent and emotional delivery. In fact, he hasn't stopped raving about your cover and absolutely loves the way you sing the lower parts of the vocals.

Kaden is very interested in setting up a call to discuss potential opportunities to possibly sign you on his label. I know he'd love to hear more about your musical background and plans for the future. He's always searching for fresh, raw talent like yourself to nurture and potentially sign.

Please let me know if you would be open to scheduling a chat with Kaden in the coming weeks. I'm happy to coordinate details on our end. He recognizes star potential when he sees it, and we both think you could have an amazing career ahead!

Looking forward to hearing back from you. The entire team is so excited at the prospect of working together. Keep doing what you do - your gift is truly special!

Warmly,

Rowan

With the initial signing happening in May 17th alongside Walsh's ordeal of label turmoil with the release of 1978-2014 (2014). Rowan and Kaden had stated mere days after the emails had been exchanged that she should start 'writing songs' as soon as she feels fit to, during that time, it was reported that she had written 15 tracks during that time, one of which being the song "So Good" which was about Kane's crush on a 26-year old Kaden Walsh and how he'd made 'the big time'.

## Recording

Recording for the album commenced in late May 2013, shortly after Kane's signing on May 17 of the same year. Initially, the recording sessions did not take place at Walsh's studio in Ireland. Instead, many of the early sessions occurred at Roundhead Studios in New Zealand, where Walsh's former bandmates collaborated with Kane. However, Kane faced delays in obtaining a passport, and no songs from these initial sessions made it onto the album at that time.

It was not until July of that year when recording finally began at Walsh's studio, and the album started to take shape. Throughout the entire production process, Walsh and Kane collaborated on songs, resulting in various writing and production outcomes. Some songs were a combined effort, while others were credited solely to one of them.

Prior to the recording sessions, several songs had already been created, including a rough version of "So Good," which was solely produced by Kane. The initial writing for this song had taken place before she was discovered, and the existence of the rough demo was not known until November 2023. Walsh confirmed that it was a song recorded during the Roundhead Studio sessions, featuring a completely different sound. Kane and Walsh later refined it, incorporating the updated version into the final studio rendition for the album.

During the recording sessions, both Walsh and Kane revealed in 2021 that many of the songs went through extensive editing. These songs started as lengthy takes ranging from 10 to 20 minutes, with different verses being experimented with to determine what worked best. The final version of each song, comprising a 10- to 20-minute take, retained its unedited form, showcasing the album's complete essence. In December 2023, Walsh announced through a social media post that these uncut versions would be included in the 10th Anniversary editions of the album. Additionally, a singles collection featuring all the released singles and their remixes would accompany the anniversary release.

The last recorded track of the album was "This Is How We Roll," a composition that posed significant challenges during the production process, as described by Walsh. He noted that it stood out as '...one of the most arduous songs to produce for any other artist.' The difficulties stemmed from the initial flow of the song and the intended message it aimed to convey.

As Walsh delved into the intricacies of its production, he encountered a formidable task in capturing the essence of guitars alongside the songs. The initial progression of the song presented a unique set of hurdles, as it demanded careful consideration to ensure its ultimate impact aligned with the envisioned outcome that sat alongside the album. Walsh and Kane meticulously fine-tuned each element alongside help from recommendations from former bandmates, from the arrangement to the instrumentation, aiming to encapsulate the intended essence of the composition. It was later confirmed that when Walsh had heard the song being played live during the first night of The Ivy Kane Party (2016) that Walsh was 'extremely pleased' in the sound that was being replicated.

## Critical Reception

Feel Me received mixed reviews from music critics upon release. While praise was directed at newcomer Ivy Kane's vocal abilities, many reviews suggested uneven song writing quality and a heavy creative influence from collaborator Kaden Walsh.

AllMusic called the album "a showcase for Kane's stunning pipework, though too often Walsh's commercial polish overshadows the fledgling talent." Rolling Stone remarked that "Kane has the voice of an angel, but struggles to establish a distinct song writing personality."

Several critics noted the disparity between songs credited solely to Kane compared to Walsh. Entertainment Weekly described tracks like "So Good" and "Heartstrings" as "pleasant but generic, lacking Walsh's hitmaking spark." The Guardian said songs clearly penned by Walsh stood out as "radio-ready bangers, for better or worse."

Many reviews criticized the ambiguous level of creative input between Kane and Walsh. Spin wrote: "Kane possesses the vocal talent to front these pop tunes, but Walsh's fingerprints seem apparent even on songs ostensibly written solely by her."

Pitchfork derided it as "a pop paint-by-numbers where Walsh supplies the colours."

However, reviews in Kane's native New Zealand and Australia were more positive. The Sydney Morning Herald called Feel Me "a promising debut showcasing a budding superstar vocalist." The New Zealand Herald said Kane "proves she has the voice and versatility to become a Kiwi pop icon."

International reviews were more critical. AllMusic called the album "a showcase for Kane's stunning pipework, though too often Walsh's commercial polish overshadows the fledgling talent." Rolling Stone remarked that "Kane has the voice of an angel, but struggles to establish a distinct song writing personality."

Overall, Feel Me presented Ivy Kane as a singer with promise, but leaning heavily on Kaden Walsh's proven hitmaking formula. Kane's ability to emerge from his shadow with a unique artistic identity remained uncertain. But she had raw talent that left hope for greater individuality on subsequent releases.

#### Reappraisal and Legacy

In the wake of Kane's tragic death in June 2023, the album has seen renewed attention, especially for its first two singles "Deeper Than Most" and "Feel Me."

Upon release, Feel Me received mixed reviews from critics, who questioned Kane's level of creative input next to collaborator Kaden Walsh. However, it became a commercial success off the upbeat singles "Deeper Than Most" and "Feel Me."

"Deeper Than Most" was released as the album's lead single in May 2014. The giddy, childlike love song showcased Kane's bubbly persona with playful lyrics over a bouncy, synth-driven beat. Though failing to chart on release, its candy-coated music video amassed over 800 million YouTube views even after Kane's passing.

The title track "Feel Me" followed as the second single in October 2014. Another frothy pop confection driven by Kane's breathy, girlish vocals, it became her breakthrough hit, reaching the top 20 in New Zealand and Australia.

Most recently, Kane's debut album had been reviewed by Pitchfork, stating that: 'As an album, Feel Me is still uneven. But it contains moments of frozen-in-amber joy that resonate more deeply in the wake of Kane's death. What once scanned as artificial now seems delicate and fleeting.' and had given the album a rating of 6.5 compared to the original 4.4

## Track Listing

*All songs written by Ivy Kane and Kaden Walsh unless stated otherwise.*

## Personnel

Credits from album booklet as follows:

* Ivy Kane: lead and backing vocals, Atmos Mixing
* Kaden Walsh: Backing Vocals, Atmos Mixing, Guitars (1-2,4-8,10) Bass (1-7, 9-10), Drums and Drum programming (1-10), Piano (2,4,8) 808 (2,6,7,10) LinnDrum (5,6,7,9-10) Keyboards (1-10)
* Max Gaffney: Percussions (2,5), Horns (10)