Singer-songwriter with a new debut album A Good Day, half-Korean Priscilla Ahn but born and raised in Pennsylvania, is an unfamiliar figure. But from her first breaths in “Dream,” she possesses a presence that can’t be overlooked. It’s not just the startling clarity of her singing, but also the lovely and occasionally wry songwriting that’s bound to capture listeners’ attention and imaginations. Her voice can only be described as ethereal, and carries a sense of hope and innocence in songs whose lyrics aren’t always so untarnished. This, plus the hint of vulnerability in her music, makes you want to hold your breath and bask in her subtle storytelling.

There’s a sweet innocence to “Dream,” with the childish hopes and desires of a “little girl, alone in her little world” captured in the sing-song cant of Ahn’s flawless voice and swinging guitar. As she ventures from childhood to adulthood and old age, the song becomes more complex as it moves along.

The dream changes, as well: The child sings, “I had a dream / that I could fly / from the highest swing / I had a dream.” The adult takes her flight from the highest tree, before finally seeking out the highest point of all. Looking back, she sings, “I lived it full and I lived it well / as many tales I lived to tell,” adding, “I’m ready now / to fly from the highest wing / I had a dream.” The song closes in the same simple address as it began, with Ahn lifting her voice — and her audience’s eyes — to the sky. Close your eyes and have a listen.

A Good Day
by Priscilla Ahn
Original Release Date: June 10, 2008
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Blue Note
Buy Album: Click Here

Making of A Good Day

Dream - Music Video