“Over It” is the debut single of Nashville-based singer-songwriter and violinist Ansley Rushing.
Released in 2021, “Over It” immediately makes a clear statement about Rushing’s style, giving us a hint as to what we can expect to hear in future releases. It is a simple country-derived love song with just enough flourishes to make it stand out. Simplicity is not always the way to go for a new artist, but for Ansley Rushing, it is a bold stroke that seemingly pays off.
Rushing displays echoes of the soft and throaty vocalics that have recently seen a resurgence in popularity with artists like Billie Eilish and Lana del Rey. The vocals are very gentle, creating a more emotionally driven sensation. They feel like heartfelt whispers. Rushing sounds totally comfortable in this tone, her voice is like butter.
Assisting Rushing’s lead are the backing vocals creating beautiful multi-layer harmonies. The backing vocals are ethereal in their weightlessness; they are wonderful and are probably my favorite part of the song.
Several of the key elements of the song are provided by Rushing herself. Not only the vocals, but also the acoustic guitar and violin. I am unsure if she plays slide guitar or the banjo, both of which also make appearances here. This may mean nothing to someone who hears this song once in passing, but not to someone like myself who appreciates great musicianship. The songwriting process becomes exponentially more complicated when writing for several parts, and for that I applaud Rushing.
The backbone of this song is a simple but effectively catchy set of chords. The addition of strings and layered harmonies develop the sound of a folk tune. Rushing is from Georgia, and considering she lives in Tennessee, it is fair to assume she has her roots in country music. There seems to be a slight Americana inspiration is at play here as well.
Rushing is a very talented musician, with a more traditional approach to lyricism. “Over It” reads like many timeless classic love songs. “You kiss me like you’ve got something to say” is a perfectly opening lyric. The first verse and the chorus feel very familiar and comforting in a way.
The structure of the song is not mind-blowing, but I wouldn’t expect a debut effort to be too abstract. The bridge shakes the tune up a little bit in a pleasant way.
As a freshman effort, “Over It” is quite good. It does not shake up the formula too much but in this case, there really is no need to. I would suggest Rushing pushes the boundaries a little more in the future to try and carve out her own niche, but this is a valiant debut. I look forward to hearing more music from Ansley Rushing
