‘Darling’ is a new chapter for Whitney
The band has a fresh sound and a new tour to boot.
Photo: Alexa Viscius
The Chicago-based duo Whitney are making a comeback after their 2022 album, SPARK. Their new single, Darling, is a short and sweet goodbye to a relationship that leaves listeners waiting to hear what else the band has up their sleeves for this new era.
The track opens with the line “along the way I had doubts,” signalling just how equally melancholy and widely relatable the rest of the song is going to be. The first half of the single is a melodic breakthrough, while the second half is entirely instrumental and perfectly combines elements of electronic pop and emotional ballad.
The title of the song is used unexpectedly, coming from a place of hurt rather than a typical term of endearment: “Was too lovestruck to recognise / Darling, why’d you punish me if you didn’t think I deserved it?”. Throughout both sides of the track, Whitney looks back on a relationship filled with problems and warning signs that went ignored. At a time when common mistreatments in relationships are widely discussed online, the song arrives at a ripe time for listener relatability.
The single coincides with the announcement of Whitney’s North American tour set for this summer and marks a major turning point for the band.