Luca Wilding's "Ruby, Don't Cry" & the Magic That Results From a Chance Encounter
By Modesty Sanchez
PC: John Ogunmuyiwa
“...[H]e said that he missed me, so I told him nobody ever has,” Luca Wilding, the up-and-coming folk artist from London, pessimistically sings on his newly released fourth single, “Ruby Don’t Cry.” This type of heartwrenching candor is on-brand for the song, which was inspired by a time when Wilding and a friend met a girl on the train who sketched in his notebook and confessed her unhappiness. Deeply moved by her honesty and fierce demeanor, Wilding wrote the song as a way of constructing, as he put it, a “... world of liberation for her, in which strength and inner beauty are rewarded with freedom.”
The paradox of fortitude and vulnerability he describes is apparent throughout the song, as each line further reveals another aspect of the toll an abusive relationship takes on a person–– in this case, this person is inspired by the girl Wilding met on the train. In the first verse, Wilding introduces what is most probably an illicit affair, their dynamic being depicted as earnest yet grim–– a man named Harley is denied a kiss from Ruby, who doesn’t believe his heartfelt declarations. In relation to this situation, he implores Ruby to abstain from crying — the fact that she is still attuned to her emotions in spite of her hardships is a testament to her resilience, as she hasn’t allowed the abusive relationships she had been a part of harden her.
As the song progresses, Ruby announces her desire to leave, much to her partner’s shock, and then finally addresses the singer, apologetically. When Ruby says she’s sorry, Wilding defeatedly replies, using a line reminiscent of the first lyric: “I told her nobody ever is.” The song ends there, but the cycle of abuse begetting mistrust and dependence doesn’t — even when one escapes it, another person gets roped in, as is demonstrated by the unresolute and somber last line.
With this track, Wilding navigates the inner workings of an unrewarding romantic relationship, one ripe with emotional vulnerability and distrust, and he does so against a backdrop of pop-folk and almost eerie instrumentals and high-pitched vocals, creating a spookily ethereal ambiance. The instruments are hardly ever at rest; even from the start, there’s a quick escalation of music before the instruments lapse into their foreboding riffs and Wilding begins to sing. These unique musical synths amplify not only the sensitivity of the song’s topic, but also augment both the pessimism and sincerity of the song.
In general, his singular voice and musical prowess combine to create a memorable and poignant song that successfully captures the listener’s attention and stirs their emotional consciousness. It is the perfect song to rile listeners up in preparation of his upcoming debut EP, which will be out November 27. If “Ruby, Don’t Cry” is any indication, this EP will be an introspective, profound, and exciting listen.