With her first official singl, ‘If This Is How Sorry Goes’, Alberta-based singer-songwriter Jessie Bird steps into the spotlight with a quiet intensity. A soul-stirring introduction to an artist who leads with feeling over flourish.
Jessie’s vocals carry the emotional load effortlessly, leaning into the kind of delivery that doesn’t try to impress. There’s something old-souled in the tone, with a natural world-weariness that recalls the narrative power of classic folk songwriters. Think the confessional elegance of Joni Mitchell with the quiet ache of early Emmylou Harris, but filtered through Jessie’s own prairie-honed voice.
Lyrically, the song is about navigating the grey areas of remorse. It’s about the awkward space after harm is done and before healing begins. When the apology is given, but the outcome remains uncertain.
What sets ‘If This Is How Sorry Goes’ apart is its restraint. It resists the urge to resolve itself neatly, instead letting the hurt hang in the air. And in that honesty, there’s catharsis.
Jessie Bird may be new to the wider music scene, but this debut feels like someone who’s already walked miles. With more music on the horizon, ‘If This Is How Sorry Goes’ is a promising sign that we’ll be hearing much more from an artist unafraid to tell it like it is.
