For this week’s NME Home Sessions we’re joined by Bachelor. The duo, formed of Jay Som’s Melina Duterte and Palehound’s Ellen Kempner, perform cuts from their debut album ‘Doomin’ Sun’ from beloved venue Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn, New York.
It might be the first time Duterte and Kempner have collaborated musically, but they’ve been friends for a long time. They describe the project fondly, saying, “Bachelor is not a band; it is a friendship”, and the easy compatibility of the pair is clear in their opening number ‘Back of My Hand’. Kempner’s emotional vocals blend with Duterte’s smooth harmony to create a song that’s somehow soothing and raw at the same time.
The duo close with ‘Doomin’ Sun’, a bittersweet, country-laced tune from which their upcoming album takes its name. The music carries a sense of quiet melancholy, reminiscent of Jay Som’s ‘I Think You’re Alright’, but the easy smiles that Duterte and Kempner exchange show the process of making the record was anything but gloomy.
You can watch Bachelor’s full NME Home Sessions performance above.
For more NME Home Sessions, you can check out multi-instrumentalist Ela Minus, Genesis Owusu and Kirin J Callinan stripping things back, Chloe Moriondo joining us from her bedroom and a performance from the Shed Leopard Studios by Kara Marni.
Be sure to check back soon for more NME Home Sessions from music’s most influential artists, including some big names and rising stars.
Bachelor’s debut album, ‘Doomin’ Sun’, is out on 28th May.