Hailing from Athens, Hotel Fiction is a fairly new duo consisting of pianist Jade Long and guitarist Jessica Thompson. Together, the pair offer a complex and satisfying blend of honeyed textures and bittersweet melodies. Their latest single “Steady” is a gentle, plaintive tune that aches with powerful questions about the connections we make with one another. With big piano chords and a lilting acoustic guitar, the song enchants the listener with gorgeous two-part harmonies. Long and Thompson’s interplay lands them in the Colbie Caillat/Meiko sweet spot. At times “Steady” feels like a flower wilting in your hand, and at others it feels like watching a statue crumble into the calm sea.
The band is quick to identify the merits of “Steady,” with Long offering a glimpse into what inspired her to pen the track. “I wrote this song after my brother told me that his biggest fear was being alone in life,” she says. “This hit me hard because I had always felt so content with the people I surrounded myself with but never thought about where we end up when we go our separate ways. I wanted to write a song to appreciate the people around me.”
Thompson adds, “I wanted to add the bittersweet guitar solo at the end because I think it added to the complex emotions of this song. I love how Jade wrote about the common need to feel loved that we all share; it can be a beautiful feeling but also difficult at times.”
Give the song a listen below.
Hotel Fiction will perform on Sun., Feb. 2 at Fiction Fest at the Foundry alongside Call Me Spinster (Chattanooga), Chick Wallace, and Bitsy. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is $7-56.
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Facebook: @hotelfiction
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