There are few better experiences than when you discover a new singer, and along with them a new song that gets stuck in your head. An example of this came back in the summer of 2017 when I decided to pay a trip to The Zodiac Sessions and came across Canadian singer/songwriter Jacob Henley. I was immediately struck by the musicianship and smooth vocals of the performer, but there was one song in particular across the night that stayed with me long after I left Bruxelles that night.

Train Rider, performed on the night with Irish singer/songwriter, Ryan O’Shaughnessy, stood out as one of the highlights for it’s clever lyrics and excellent storytelling qualities.

Across the track we are treated to Henley’s warm and inviting vocals as he tells us the story of one of those random choice meetings with a beautiful stranger on public transport. This is an idea that pretty much everyone who listens to the song can relate to, when the arrival of someone new into your consciousness can lead to hopeful thoughts that this person has been sent here for a reason and that they have been sent to make your life better. A marvellous piece of songwriting.

“Train rider, won’t you sit next to me?

Train rider, this is destiny.”

MK