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Following a series of emotionally charged releases that have established her as one of the UK’s most compelling emerging songwriters, May Payne returns with the bittersweet “Solid Ground”.
Released as a special bonus single ahead of her forthcoming EP ‘Keeper’, out November 13th, “Solid Ground” offers a striking change in perspective. Where recent releases have confronted the painful realities of heartbreak, regret and emotional vulnerability, her latest offering captures the exhilarating, terrifying experience of falling in love and discovering that, perhaps for the first time, there is something worth trusting.
Already a firm favourite among fans at her live shows, “Solid Ground” finds the singer-songwriter navigating the unfamiliar territory of emotional security, albeit with a dash of unease sown throughout. It’s a song about allowing yourself to embrace happiness, even when past experiences have taught you to anticipate disappointment.
“I wrote Solid Ground at the very beginning of a very important relationship, that stage when everything feels so new and vivid and raw,” May explains. “This song is something like an attempt to capture those intense, bright feelings, that mixture between the overwhelm of new love and the certainty of knowing that you’re right where you’re meant to be. It sounds like me taking a big deep breath and telling myself ‘I know it’s scary, but it’s worth it’.”
Captured with her live band playing together in the living room of a secluded Welsh cottage, “Solid Ground” retains the spontaneity and human connection that have become defining characteristics of her latest material.
WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO HERE
PRE-ORDER KEEPER EP HERE
Working alongside collaborators Sean Rogan and Rhys Jiang, May deliberately moved away from conventional studio production, recording her forthcoming EP without MIDI, loops or click tracks. The result is an organic, wonderfully unguarded sound that allows the emotional nuances of each performance to take centre stage.
Previous single “The News” explored the devastation of watching a former partner move on almost immediately after a breakup, while the sprawling, almost eight-minute “Martha, I’m Sorry” confronted the guilt of ending a relationship with somebody she still deeply cared for.
Against those experiences, “Solid Ground” feels like a moment of emotional breakthrough. It captures the point at which the instinct to retreat begins to give way to the possibility of something genuinely lasting.
Raised in Dorset and now based within London’s thriving independent music community, Payne has steadily attracted national attention through her uncompromising honesty and captivating live performances.
Her music has received enthusiastic support from BBC Radio 6 Music, CLASH and DIY, while previous releases and performances have demonstrated a remarkable ability to transform deeply personal experiences into moments of collective catharsis.
Following an extensive autumn touring schedule supporting Francis of Delirium and Quiet Houses, May will celebrate the arrival of ‘Keeper’ with a headline performance at Bermondsey Social Club in London on November 19th.
With “Solid Ground”, Payne offers something especially poignant: the sound of an artist beginning to believe in happiness without needing to know exactly how the story will end. Tender, hopeful and full of the emotional intensity that makes her songwriting so affecting, it is a reminder that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is allow ourselves to be loved.
London Headline Show
19.11.26 – Bermondsey Social Club – Tickets HERE
