Katie Melua’s Joy Uses the Arrangement Perfectly to Tell Her Story

Katie Melua’s new single Joy is a brilliant showpiece of synchronicity between melody and lyrical meaning. The lyrics in the verses are melancholic, and the arrangement and the melodies the instruments play are representative of that emotion. This feeling is juxtaposed by the immediate change in tone when she explains how the person she addresses is her source of joy. Another interesting part of her arrangement during these two parts is the play on the tempo and the choice of rhythm. Perhaps, the quicker pace in the verses and the slower tempo and the half-time rhythm in the chorus indicate that happiness stays with you when it’s there, and that’s a beautiful thing to take away from this song.

Follow Katie Melua