The world is a big place, a religious world can feel even bigger, especially when you aren’t fully grown. The mixed emotions drift in and the questions start to formulate. Julia Jacklin recollects these feelings in her latest single, ‘Lydia Wears a Cross’ 

“The song is about a lot of things but mainly being a seven-year-old Jesus Christ Superstar fanatic attending Catholic school trying to figure out which way is up,” 

 Lydia Wears a Cross is the opening track from the much anticipated third album from Julia Jacklin. The track is a contemplative stream of a memory, painting a picture of wide-eyed Catholic school children, performing hymns in the assembly. The influence of religion, what it felt like at the time and what it feels like now, 20 something years later.  

“Little sirens singing their songs, where have the babies gone?” 

 Jacklin acknowledges her innocent, infant perspective. Her reflection isn’t hard and heavy, but is soft, intricate and understanding. Listeners will reach a level of catharsis when more sounds are introduced in the second half of the track. Helping to express the shift into adulthood and distance from the Christian rituals. Asking for forgiveness, relieving the Christian guilt, the parade of it all. Could be seen as a lot for a primary school kid. However, ‘Lydia Wears a Cross’ is a tender reflection. It makes up a perfect re-introduction to Julia Jacklin’s songwriting. 

Lydia Wears a Cross is the lead single from Julia Jacklin’s forthcoming album Pre Pleasure, out August 26 via Polyvinyl.