CLEAR

Summer Walker is the definition of an introvert. The Atlanta R&B newcomer and 2019 Up Next artist keeps to herself and prefers the sanctuary of the studio. “Whenever something is completely bothering me, I like to hold it in because I don’t talk to a lot of people,” Walker tells Apple Music. “That’s why, a lot of times, my songs are emotional.” But however quiet her demeanor is in public, she’s outspoken on this four-song EP recorded live in her hometown. The bare-bones acoustic “Riot” and Latin-tinged “Grave” ask potential suitors for clarity instead of head games. The jazzy “Wasted” showcases her vocal dexterity while linking love and addiction (“Wasted time, my lover/Throw it back and I feel the burn”). On “Settling,” a bittersweet rumination on relationship woes, her timing is decades beyond her 22 years. If you often feel the need to be alone with your feelings, Walker’s got you. *CLEAR* is the raw, uncut feed direct from her soul. “Whether it’s happiness, sadness, anger, or jealousy, I’ve never been a girl who writes in her diary,” Walker says. “Pro Tools sessions are my diary sessions.”