Bonnie Kemplay releases new single ‘I’ve Known You’
RELEASES NEW SINGLE
‘I’VE KNOWN YOU’WATCH HERENEW EP SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE
RELEASING JULY 31ST VIA DIRTY HIT
“America has gifted us like-minded lo-fi artists such as Clairo and Snail Mail. Kemplay emphatically belongs in such exalted company.” – The Sunday Times, Breaking Act
“A divine listen…alt-pop blessed with a sense of precocious innocence.” – CLASH, Track of the Day
“if this is what she’s managed in just a year, who knows what could come next” – DIY
“she’s already turning heads” – The Face
“Bonnie Kemplay is a bit special…The potential is, frankly obvious.” – Dork
Hot on the heels of announcing her upcoming EP Someone, somewhere (July 31st via Dirty Hit), Bonnie Kemplay returns today with poignant new track ‘I’ve Known You’.
Lyrically, the single explores Bonnie’s relationship with her brother and the shift in their dynamic throughout the years. Speaking on it, Bonnie shares: “I’ve Known You is about my brother and the shift in our relationship through childhood and adulthood. We were best friends as kids, but drifted apart after we left home to study at different universities.”It’s a tender track accompanied by Bonnie’s signature live-performance videos, watch HERE.
The single is the latest in an impressive run of tracks that have prefaced the EP, including‘Big Machine’, ‘Dandelions’ and most recent ‘Paper Angel’. They will all appear on the 6-track release, Bonnie’s first after a three-year break from releasing music. It marks a new era in her creative journey, and finds the Scottish singer-songwriter exploring themes of personal evolution, nostalgia, and emotional transformation, capturing snapshots of change – both the disorienting and the illuminating – while maintaining the intimate, conversational songwriting that defines Bonnie’s previous releases.
On the EP’s wider narrative, Bonnie reflects: “This EP lives somewhere between transition and memory. A few of the songs were written in times of change and uncertainty like moving cities and dealing with a long-term injury. Many of the songs explore childhood memories and navigating evolving relationships with myself and other people.”
Like much of her recent work, the EP extends beyond romantic storytelling to explore friendship, family, and personal transformation. Her writing remains conversational and deeply human, capturing small, specific moments that resonate on a universal emotional scale. Influenced by artists such as Allegra Krieger, Wilco, Big Thief and German Error Message, Bonnie’s expanded sonic palette continues to balance experimentation with her signature relatability.
The EP arrives following a transformative period for Bonnie. After her debut, a three-year creative hiatus allowed her to reassess both her artistic process and personal identity. “When I released my first EP, my artist identity was deeply intertwined with who I was,”she previously shared. “Since then, I’ve discovered who I am beyond music.” This evolution is evident across her new material – more playful, less bound by perfectionism, and increasingly open to sonic exploration.
With over a million streams, critical acclaim from The Sunday Times, The Face, Clash, DIY, Dork and many more, and major support slots for artists like Adele and Bleachers, Bonnie Kemplay has already established herself as a compelling emerging voice in alternative pop.
Now 24, Bonnie first emerged in 2022 as the UK’s top emerging artist after beating over 10,000 other entries to perform in the world famous BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, joining the likes of Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Stormzy in the Live Lounge history books. Her recent singles signal a confident and deeply personal artistic return, one that sets the stage for her most fully realised work to date.
Bonnie will join Katie Gregson-MacLeod on a run of intimate UK shows next month, as well as playing Dork’s Summer Series this evening. Full itinerary below.
Live Dates
8 July – London, UK – Sebright Arms (DORK Summer Series)
26 August – Brighton – Folklore Rooms*
27 August – Bath – Electric Komedia*
28 August – Cardiff – Canopi*
30 August – London – Green Note (MATINEE)*
13 September – York – The Crescent*
14 September – Nottingham – Rough Trade*
15 September – Oxford – Little Bully*
16 September – Margate – ARK*
5 December – Aberdeen, UK – The Tunnels
*supporting Katie Gregson-MacLeod
