Folk-flavored singer-songwriter Halley Neal sits right down and writes a dear friend a letter in this, the first single from her forthcoming album, Letter for a Friend, which is slated to be released in mid-September. The idea driving the project, she explains in the press release, is a simple one: “Every track on the album is written as a letter to someone who has deeply influenced or impacted my life.”
Of “Emily,” she says that it’s addressed to “my oldest friend, someone who shaped my childhood in quiet but profound ways. It’s about the kind of bond that leaves a permanent mark on your heart – even when time and distance pull you apart. Writing this song helped me reconnect not just with her, but with the part of myself she helped me believe in. It’s a reminder of how important it is to say the things we often leave unsaid.”
The song is a sweet celebration of childhood, the dreams therein, and the lasting bonds of friendship: “With every passing year,” she sings, “I see more pieces of the girl you helped me be/you helped me see/you were there for me.” The video, which was shot on the same VHS camcorder Neal’s parents used to chronicle her childhood, is a treat, too; it features the old BFFs revisiting the stomping grounds of their wonder years.
The Old Grey Cat 