There is an old saying that states “Life begins at 40”, and for singer-songwriter RØRY that’s considerably the case. While some may see her as a newcomer, the woman known to some as Roxanne Emery has been making music for over a decade. In that time, her discography was built upon a mix of acoustic pop and vocal contributions to various dance tracks. Yet in 2018, Emery shed her skin and embraced a new persona, RØRY.

However, this decision was more than a mere stylistic pivot towards accessible pop-rock. As her debut album, ‘Restoration’, documents, Emery’s personal life was dominated by addiction, grief, toxic relationships, and mental health lows. Through a combination of sobriety and therapy, alongside support from her family, she’s emerged as one of the UK’s pop-rock’s promising “new” hopes. The arrival of ‘Restoration’ comes off the back of acclaimed festival slots and a healthy social media following.

RØRY‘s songwriting is upfront and deeply personal. ‘if pain could talk, what would it say’ sets the narrative tone from the outset, with its mix of fairytale harmonics and semi-rap blasts serving as her inner monologue. Past single, ‘In The Bible’, leans into religious undertones as Emery sings about her trouble. Her words end with optimism and hope while riding along a dense alt-rock tone.

For the most part, RØRY‘s backing band do a passable job that comfortably confines themselves to melodic rock (see ‘Wolves’). Whereas ‘Blossom’ has a hint of nu-metal. By design, the sounds and styles implemented on ‘Restoration’ don’t take away from Emery telling her story. Tracks such as ‘hold on’ and ‘One Drink Away’ put the narrative at the forefront. On the former, interestingly she duets with Roxanne Emery. Embracing a hip-hop beat, ‘hold on’ sees RØRY speak to her past self while listing her mistakes; stealing money for drugs, cutting family ties, and maxing out credit cards. It paints a raw and honest picture of Emery’s past. Likewise, ‘One Drink Away’ tenderly steps into acoustic ballad territory with poignant words of sobriety and vulnerability she still finds herself in. That’s despite the meetings, surrounding herself with a strong support system.

The diaristic narrative is put on hold on ‘Morality $uicide’. Here RØRY uses her platform to highlight political and societal frustrations, highlighting war-torn countries, genocide, greed, environmental issues and political unrest. While its sturdy and large presentation is well-executed, stepping out of the personal tale of recovery makes it an interesting inclusion.

Nevertheless, ‘Restoration’ peaks with the penultimate track – ‘Sorry I’m Late’. The blend of punchy, soaring pop-rock and cathartic lyricism makes for an uplifting combination. It thrives with confidence as Emery sticks a verbal middle finger up to anyone who’s doubted her, or said her time has passed. ‘The Atheist’ ties up the record, putting to rest her former self. Ending with a spoken word part, Emery speaks about her recovery and healing. It’s a blunt and thoroughly honest closing.

In just over half an hour, RØRY is able to tell her story. It’s one of recovery, optimism, and more importantly, deeply personal. She’s able to shed the skin of her former self, finding comfort in cathartic tales and a sound where she feels at home. Even though it musically lacks an impact, it’s made up by a narrative anchor that sticks with you. RØRY‘s bravery in writing such raw songs in intense detail needs to be applauded. It should be on this merit alone that she should be able to stand out from other artists on her level.

‘Restoration’ by RØRY is released on January 31st, 2025 on SADCØRE.

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