Hannah Rowe, an upcoming artist with a rich jazz-infused sound, released her single ‘Waistcoat’ on June 21st in a whirlwind of ravishing female rage. ‘Waistcoat’ covers the powerful themes of the sexualisation of women which they experience from a very young age and the abuses of authority figures who we are told we should trust. Whether that be in the workplace or in the crowd at a small music venue, women are constantly exploited by men who think they can demand respect as their suffocating egos have not yet been humbled. These men wish to control what they are scared they can’t have; these men wish to possess a woman’s power in order to feel strong, these men wish to take the voice of a woman who speaks because they fear what she says is true and that it is them that has always been wrong. Through this single, Hannah empowers listeners to not give into the corruption which society tries to force upon them.
The single opens on a tranquil note, with a jazz-infused guitar and gentle keys before the addition of a punchy bass gives the song an addictive rhythm. ‘Waistcoat’ bursts open into the chorus which is home to standout lyrics, ‘oh ain’t it mad what you can hide in a waistcoat’ which convey how terrifying it is that just because a man dresses likes he’s professional others choose to ignore the fact that he is really a predator. This isn’t blissful ignorance; this is a nightmare for the people he’s hurt and then are not heard after his cruelty.
Other standout lyrics, ‘for my age I’m so grown. For my age I feel so old’ present how women are forced to grow up to soon as they are led to believe that with age comes worthiness so lose their innocence prematurely. Women face so much early on in their lives, even as children they are not safe from sexualisation, so they put up a wall to protect themselves from the things they have faced and the things they have seen because nobody else will. A woman isn’t always mature by choice, it’s just that a man is stunted by the self-entitlement this patriarchal society gifted him and the bad decisions that authority figures demonstrate.
‘Waistcoat’ closes in a cacophony of female voices, soulfully singing as a killer guitar makes listeners’ ears ring, nostalgic brass instruments take us back in time and Hannah belts skilfully. The single ends powerfully, reclaiming the voices of women who have been told how to behave by insecure men all their lives in a world of glass ceilings and injustice.
With the jazz blues feel that the trumpet and saxophone lend mixed perfectly with a steady drumbeat and Hannah’s deep and beautifully controlled voice, ‘Waistcoat’ is grand and all-consuming. It sinks into your soul and conjures images of the romantic jazz bars and good music that time has let the younger generation forget. Hannah is truly authentic, a trailblazer for the rebirth of a genre which is beginning to once again get the recognition that it deserves. Hannah Rowe is a true powerhouse.
So go and give ‘Waistcoat’ a listen and be sure to check out a Hannah Rowe live show for the full euphoric experience.
Bacchanalia Magazine 
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