Singer, poet and visual artist to.do.list returns with a double single ‘Teetering’ on Valentine’s Day. And it’s a dance you don’t want to miss.
Carmina Budworth has been steadily building her name on the Hull/Manchester scenes since 2015 by taking active part in busy student life and underground gigs. Her unusual vocal range, DIY ethics and shy -yet- captivating stage presence earned her comparisons to Hope Sandoval and Elizabeth Fraser. Carmina’s love for pushing boundaries and blending of genres comes naturally. She grew up touring the vibrant folk circuit as part of a family ensemble, but in her music she displays influences ranging from Appalachian folk to 60s psychedelia and reggae. She debuted under the moniker to.do.list in 2020 with a single ‘Sobering News’ that received a national radio airplay from John Kennedy on Radio X. A demo recording of ‘Aimée’s Waltz’ became a sought after item in student halls around Manchester. Not a small feat in a digital age.
Her newest release, a double single entitled ‘Teetering’ is being released today, just in time for the Valentine’s Day and it’s Carmina’s finest work yet. This haunting and delicate, tango inspired composition is an ode to the unforgettable feeling of falling in love with somebody, slowly without even realizing it.
I have to make a confession – I’m an absolute sucker when it comes to harmonies and layered vocals in a song. What to.do.list managed to achieve on ‘Teetering’ is simply fantastic. All you need to do is to hear the chorus just once and it will be stuck inside your head for eternity. I listened to it on repeat for the majority of the day and I still can’t get enough.
‘Teetering’ was written in July 2020 in between lockdowns and it seems that Carmina assembled an impressive team to help her bring her creative vision to life. She also self funded every step on the way, making sure that every artist she worked with was paid. Original studio sessions were recorded with Tatye Nickols at MADFOX, a production studio based in Rochdale, Manchester. The song was then mixed and mastered at Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton over the Christmas period by industry veteran Gavin Monaghan (The Blinders, Editors). ‘Teetering’ was rearranged by JB Pilon (The Kecks, Hunted By Elephants) at London based Buffalo Recordings Studios to create a beautifully eerie ‘Surpise Me’ remix that forms a B side to the single.
Carmina Budworth not only has an impressive single on her hands but also a string of ambitious plans to make 2021 her year. She is working on a zine, a poetry compilation and several other artistic projects. It seems we will not be bored.
Now, shall we dance?
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Julia Pellow