Young in her years but masterfully sage in her songwriting, Kitty Perrin has sung her way into the hearts of many around the City of Stories. A face known to everyone in the city, her fanbase is due for a major augmentation when Norwich finally shares her with the rest of the country.
You cannot blame Norwich for keeping her to itself; she is loved and gatekept for a reason. Kitty has contributed immensely to the city's music scene as a BBC Radio Norfolk presenter. Her promotion of local acts has provided significant exposure to artistic talents here. Norfolk is often overlooked in conversations about regional British music heritage, but Kitty has done the work of a thousand men in trying to reverse this perception.
Her music touches listeners with its soulful introspectiveness. Through her songs, listeners find solace in their struggles with life, love, and everything in between; welcomed by Kitty's unselfish lyrical vulnerability. In 'First Love,' she reminds listeners of their strength to bear the inevitable progress of time. Though time's erosion of our relationships can be a daunting inevitability, Kitty diffuses her listeners' apprehension by reminding them of their agency within the storm. The lyrics depict her encounter with an ex-partner, a common experience we all share, the one who introduced us to true love.
"I decided to start grieving," echoes the song's opening line, establishing Kitty's commitment to emotional agency during a difficult time. Recognizing the departure of your first love from your life is an emotionally raw acknowledgment. Thus, with the opening lyric of 'First Love,' Kitty retains emotional agency; time's passing might lead to harder reflections but makes it clear that she wants to be in control of how she deals with it.
I decided to start grieving, though you are still alive
Gonna treat this as a loss, 'cause so much can change with time,
There's more chance of us meeting if I attain fame,
but you warned that I might not love you when I get there
because I might not know your name...
Ultimately, 'First Love' is a bittersweet resignation. Kitty hears the anxiety of listeners who might be in a similar context, she hears their loss and how lost they are without that relationship that started it all. It is okay to admit that someone meant that much to you once and that now things aren't the same. It is okay to finish that book and put it back on the shelf. You might read it again during times of reflection, but you accept that the book's events can, and never will, be relived.
I wanted to say I loved you; I wanted you to say that's good to know.
A first love is not commonly portrayed like this. Kitty rewrites common meditations that focus on visceral emotion and powerful, positive feelings centered on the present moment. By shifting the perspective inward and looking to the past, Kitty gives permission to listeners to grieve however they feel most comfortable. Time has its way, but we can always choose for ourselves how to think and feel; to be okay with the fact that often those who teach us to love have less staying power than we would hope for.
The song's art depicts a miniature living room, barely furnished, with a moving box, as if to suggest the implied resident has packed up most of their things. Moving house is often a permanent commitment. We say goodbye to a home and our current sense of familiarity and move to find another iteration of it. We hold fond memories of wherever 'home' has been, but we also trust that another iteration of familiarity exists elsewhere. 'First Love' is a song you wish you had heard before your first major breakup, but also one you knew you wouldn't have been able to comprehend back then. Kitty commands such a rich understanding of hindsight and the way it battles arbitrarily with our emotions. She won't make a fuss over time's passing because there's nothing she can do to stop it. Being at peace with this is not crucial, but, as 'First Love' shows, it certainly makes interactions with that once-special individual somewhat less gut-wrenching.
First Love by Kitty Perrin is out now on all major music streaming platforms. See below for a photograph of Kitty Perrin taken by myself. Thanks for reading.