Mae Krell Explores the Tension Between Mind and Heart in “tooth fairy”
Photos by Alex Lyon / Words by Hannah Kozak
New York based singer-songwriter Mae Krell releases her newest single, “tooth fairy,” on September 20th. The first single since her EP “imposter syndrome” released earlier in 2022, “tooth fairy” was originally an unreleased track from “imposter syndrome.” The single is intimate and introspective, and Krell is inspired by singer-songwriters like Phoebe Bridgers, Bob Dylan, and Gregory Alan Isakov.
Krell opens the song with lyrics referencing its namesake, singing, every word felt like pulling teeth / and I’m no tooth fairy. Right away, we can see that Krell aches for an easy exchange with this person and wants nothing more than that. She later goes on to sing in the chorus, it’s 2 a.m. in Brooklyn, just me and my pen / I feel stupid even saying this / you’re on my mind again. The listener can hear the ache in Krell’s voice and she does a wonderful job at conveying the harsh realities and pain of missing someone that you know you shouldn’t miss. It’s an internal battle that is difficult to overcome: the tension between the mind and heart, or logic and emotion. When talking about “tooth fairy,” Krell states that the song references an old friend that she thought would always be in her life.
“I wrote [“tooth fairy”] after I found out that someone who used to be my best friend moved to the city where I grew up,” began Krell. “It felt like tearing open an old wound that I didn’t know I had, and also put me in a spot to question: if the chance were to arise, would I want to give them a second chance? That’s something I’m still trying to figure out.”
At only 23 years old, Krell shows she is beyond her years through introspective and emotional writing. She is currently on the road with SoFar Sounds and is set to play Vancouver (CA) 10/8, San Francisco 10/28, and Los Angeles 11/5. “tooth fairy” is now available on all major platforms.
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