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I'd heard about this wonderful new singer songwriter from Portadown,.ÌýBut I'm ashamed to say she hadn't hit my radar as much until the past week or so. I have been listening to herÌýEP "Fallen" on almost constant loop,Ìýmainly in the car, while ferrying children back and forth to summer schemes.ÌýAfter a few days I noticed that instead of the usual calls for Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga, and possibly Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge over Troubled Waters", the request from the back seat was for Katharine Philippa, or "that girl Katharine". So track 1 goes on and the title trackÌý"Fallen" aches its way outÌýand around the car. It is heartbreakingly sad, her voice compelling you to listen, to share in the moment with her, however blue it makes you feel.ÌýA discussion ensues between the two 5 year olds as to why this music is sad. Is Katharine sad? Does she sing all sad songs? She should sing happy music?ÌýIs she happy? And I'm thinking, this is great, a straightforward critiqueÌýof the music; no agenda, noÌýcomparisons, just experiencing it as only a child can. So I decide to push them a bit more. What do you think of this music? No answer. Then LR, my daughter's friend, pipes up. "Marie-Louise....?" "Yes" I ask, "Look, I can make my tongue curl backwards".

And I laugh out loud.ÌýHappiness and sad songs do go together!