Kalila Badali - “Panacea”
Toronto-based songwriter Kalila Badali has just released her new single, “Panacea,” a hauntingly beautiful dreamy folk song that showcases the artist’s musical and lyrical expertise. The lyrics are storytelling and confessional, set across a minimalistic arrangement. The acoustic finger picking sets the stage for the song, and the violins elegantly create a mood of reflection– they are ever-present, yet there is a sense of incompleteness that adds to the song’s haunting quality. They feel like the sound of a memory.
The vocal performance of Kalila is the real highlight of the song, and it’s stunningly beautiful. The reverb-drenched sections of the vocal add an ethereal, almost spiritual quality. The sadness in the performance, despite its beauty, is palpable, and it’s clear that the lyrics are about the deep desire to help and fix a friend suffering from mental illness. I also get some strong, later-Fleetwood Mac vibes from this track, in some places, which only adds to its appeal for me. This is a really beautiful and unique melancholic song.
The artist describes the meaning of “Panacea:” “Sometimes love makes you lose track of where you begin and another person ends. It can feel really good in a way, deeply connected and supportive, but ultimately, it’s not great to lose boundaries. That can lead to all sorts of resentments and confusion.”