Niamh Morris - ‘When You Know, You Know’ | Single Review
December 18 | Written By Jessica Pispisa
Every once in a while, there’s a tune that comes along that easily sweeps you off your feet, and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside you didn’t even know you needed. As we are smack dab right in the middle of the season of all things cosy, merry and bright, this song is all of that and a pinch more.
Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Niamh Morris’ new single, When You Know, You Know is the lead from her upcoming debut EP, “Strawberries & Honey”, and it’s an absolute charmer of a tune. A meet-cute of one who just ‘ordered an espresso’ and the other who ‘just had a beer’, this acoustic-guitar driven tune is about a young woman’s declaration of being in love, even though she may be slightly incapacitated by the alcohol (spoiler alert: she’s the one knocking back the beer). With its memorable lyrics, easy stride, and melodic melody, it’s a little evocative of Fiona Apple’s Paper Bag, except there’s no disenchantment here, but pure joy only nascent love can elicit. It also helps that this song wouldn't feel out of place along a montage in any of Nancy Meyer’s movies.
When You Know, You Know is a follow-up to a string of gorgeous singles Morris has released since March 2023. Sensitive songs that “explore themes of love, heartbreak and funny anecdote”, she has been touring Scotland and the UK since, headlining shows and even hitting up The Cavern Club and numerous festivals. It’s easy to hear why she’s been warmly received; her songs (Beautiful Lies, Friendzone Problems, Differently) are beautifully crafted, and have a feeling of accessibility that cannot be faked. Her granny’s words sung in the song’s chorus; "You can be drunk/ or sober/ or keeling over/ when you know, you know”, are earnest, sincere, and exact. What Morris has got, she definitely got some of it from her.
As the year draws to a close, a song as lovely as this one is only a happy addition to any playlist. A love song that can soften the hardest of hearts in an especially trying year. Niamh Morris’s debut EP is expected to be released on February 21, 2025, with a headline show the following Friday in her hometown of Glasgow. It’s a date worth keeping and looking forward to.
When You Know, You Know is available now. Strawberries & Honey is out on February 2025