Clairo

Clairo (short for Claire Cottrill) is a singer-songwriter with breathy low-key vocals who transitioned from the bedroom pop of Bandcamp into the world of big time labels with her relatively under-produced esthetics intact. She is a talented songwriter in terms of her subtle melodies and highly personal, confessional lyrics. Having tried a more open style with relatively free flowing songs on 2019's Immunity, she retreated into a quieter sound on her follow-up Sling (2021), where her songs were more tightly wound, and her delivery was much more restrained. On the other hand, the streamlined instrumentation and the layered arrangements, including her multitracked vocals reveal a nuanced side to her music, once the trappings of pop are stripped out. She may be barely audible at times over her softly plucked acoustic guitar, but her music is captivating for fans who can appreciate a calmer headspace.