Please don't Friendzone Jennie Harluk, Hear Be Your Friend here first!
Photo credit: Fadi Atiye
Calgary artist Jennie Harluk kicks off 2022 with a new chest-squeezing anthem “Be Your Friend,” out today. Layered with lush piano chords, the track navigates through the gut-wrenching nostalgia and longing of wanting to be intimate with someone again. It applies to any ex whom you can’t friendzone due to all the history and leftover emotions that linger in the aftermath of a breakup.
The slow-burning production paired with Harluk’s silvery croons leave its listeners in an emotional suspense before the cathartic choruses skyrocket us. “We both know it's dangerous pouring liquor on an old flame / Cause it burns just like a wildfire in summer” chants Harluk. There is an undeniable sense of impending doom that seeps out of the melancholic and wistful lyrics that make “Be Your Friend” a soothingly, a heart-burning track that takes you down the memory lane.
Speaking of the new track, Harluk shares: “‘Be Your Friend’ is a simple, beautifully melancholy track about the inner struggle of seeing a person you've parted from but still love, and realizing you don't want to be friends with them; you don't want to pretend there's no history, you don't want to be civil - you want them back. Even if it hurts, or isn't right, you can't help but feel that pull to familiarity, comfort, and nostalgia of an old love.”
“Be Your Friend” is the first single of 2022 and a glimpse into what Harluk has in store for us this year. The track is the follow up of her latest releases “Just Like That,” “The Fool” and “Blame It On Me” which have garnered praises from the media including American Songwriter, PopWrapped, Broadway World, Spindle Magazine, The Honey Pop, and more.
Through both her sound and style, Harluk continues to push her artistry as she toys with elements of different genres while delving into intimate narratives of romance, self-exploration, heartbreak, and growth. Her talent has led to sessions with renowned producers around the world including Nathan Ferraro (Virginia to Vegas), Derek Hoffman (Juno-nominated producer), and Andy Park (Ariana Grande, Neon Trees). With more songs under her sleeve, Harluk will be treating her listeners with new music before unveiling her upcoming EP.
We had the chance to chat with Jennie a while back ago, which you can hear all about it down below.
ABOUT JENNIE HARLUK:
Although Jennie Harluk’s songs rely heavily on her long-time love of straight-up storytelling, the Calgary-based singer/songwriter is less concerned about her music fitting neatly into a genre than ensuring it sinks deep into the heart and soul of her listeners.
For Harluk, music runs in her DNA. Her earliest influences can be attributed to her father, who is an accomplished artist and performer himself. From the age of two, she was bouncing to AC/DC in her jumping chair and by the time she turned 10, she was already performing regularly and writing songs. “I didn’t start writing using instruments. I just wrote using melodies and words in my head,” she explains. “I only learned guitar a few years ago,” she adds, “just to have something I could bring to gigs and support myself."
Since then, she’s continued to hone all aspects of her craft and bring equally impressive performances to the stage and the studio, along with an ability to infuse her music with emotional weight and lyrical depth well beyond her years.
Over time, Harluk has played at a wide range of events and venues including Country Thunder Festival, various Calgary Stampede events, local coffeehouses, and all-age venues. Harluk has also spearheaded the development of a local concert series of her own called Country Night Live, which she co-hosts, performs at, and showcases the talents of other artists to support local charities.
Regardless of whether she’s writing from personal experience or pure observation, performing solo or with lush instrumentation, the impact is just as captivating. On record and on stage, Harluk’s approach is never about striking a pose - it’s about warmth, honesty, and connection. For Jennie Harluk, music isn’t so much a career choice as a lifestyle, a daily blessing, and her truest means of expressing herself.