With a gently strummed guitar introduction, Left Behind sees Kacey Fifield’s vocals take centre-stage from the song’s beginning. The vocal initially hooks you in, the earnest delivery exposing a trusting sense of vulnerability. It is the pulsing bass and racing melodies that kick in, approximately a quarter into the song’s duration, that set the song’s pace, however. The song creates the feeling of running to keep up, like a sprint down a hill that will only end when you either fall over, or reach the bottom.
Fifield is an acclaimed singer-songwriter, originally from Los Angeles, but now based in New York. Having released her debut album, Between The Lines, in 2022, Kacey has racked up 6.25 million plays on Spotify, with 4.5 million for the album alone. Offline, Kacey has also attracted audiences to venues that include The Whisky A Go Go, The Mind, and Heaven Can Wait. When she isn’t making music, Kacey is engaged in philanthropic endeavours that include fundraising for cancer research and supporting food sustainability, and completing her education in New York.
As a song, Left Behind is inspired by Kacey’s experience of receiving her college decisions:
‘It was the end of the year, all of my relationships felt like they were falling apart, and I was terrified of the future.’
The contrast of those heartfelt lyrics with a more upbeat sound was itself a deliberate attempt to capture the emotional contradiction of that experience:
‘This darker lyrical theme is juxtaposed with an upbeat, danceable instrumental. This pairing is meant to express the catharsis of finally letting go of my fears and recognizing that my worries are out of my control.’
Check out Left Behind below: