Jenna Louise strips back the glossy veneer of love songs in ‘Safe’, offering something far more valuable than sentimentality—understanding. The North East singer-songwriter, whose reputation has been cemented through BBC Introducing and international airplay, takes the worn-out phrase you have to love yourself before someone else can and reshapes it into something more compassionate. The standing ovation-worthy piano-led ballad explores the weight of past trauma in new relationships, showing gratitude for the kind of love that doesn’t demand perfection but instead cradles scars with care.
The classic pop stylings in Safe are pulled into the present by the sheer emotional intelligence in the lyrics and the affecting maturity in Jenna Louise’s expansive vocal range. Cinematically seraphic harmonies rise between honeyed verses steeped in introspection, turning a deeply personal reflection into a universally resonant moment. Every note is delivered with the kind of conviction that makes the difference between a song that’s heard and one that’s felt.
With her debut album My Journey already making waves, turning heads at HMV in Darlington, and featuring collaborations with Carl Pemberton (Journey South) and Sam Haynes, there’s never been a better time to affix Jenna Louise to your radar.
Safe was officially released on Valentine’s Day and is out now on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast