A melancholic, nuanced nugget of lyrical honesty and authenticity, ‘Stranger On A Pedestal’ sees Australian songstress Karen Harding going back to her acoustic roots, penning a single that’s intimate and minimal in its sonic character, yet expansive and universal in its theming. Layering her evocative and luscious vocals over a bed of soft and gentle guitar arpeggios, Harding explores how feeble expectations and first impressions can be, especially regarding people.
Realizing that at the end of the day, all humans are alike and flawed, Karen urges the listeners not to put anyone on a ‘pedestal’, so to speak, reminding them that appearances are often ephemeral. Teaming up with guitarist Gabb Matos, Harding manages to translate such a meaningful composition into a holistic piece of enlightened artistry, something that we would certainly expect from her.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the song, the Melbourne-based creative explains: “I wanted to get across that lightbulb moment when you finally see somebody for who they are, outside of the pedestal you’ve given them. It’s all about realising the beauty and vulnerability in our shared human experience.”
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