Indie-folk artist Eden J Howells crafts a vulnerable ode to love with their single “aphrodite”

Soft strums of an acoustic guitar frame Howell's honeyed vocals at the start of “aphrodite”, the sound slowly filled out by a silky bassline, crashing symbols, and floating harmonies. The infusion creates an ethereal sound grounded in an acoustic simplicity. It’s an honest exploration of the power of love and the vulnerability the feeling demands. Howells sinks deeper into their feelings throughout, letting it wash over them gently as they walk in awe of their Aphrodite.

The track is an ode to love, and the hopes and fears alike that fuel Howells’ own passions. “It’s about the extraordinary feeling of loving someone, loving them so much that they seem otherworldly, divine and goddess-like. But it’s also about the fear of losing that love. Of having been unlucky in love before, and the fear of letting your guard down only for the same thing to happen again,” they said.

Written in a contemplative setting during a solo stay at a nature reserve, Howells hopes to take listeners to a serene space with the song. “I want this track to transport people, away from wherever they are to basically where I was when I wrote it. I want it to take people to woodland, deep wilderness and stillness,” they said. “I hope it inspires people to see love in a different way. I love the idea of love as divinity.”

This is the indie artist’s latest release ahead of their sophomore EP, due out on September 5th. Despite this being only their second EP, Howells is already selling out venues across their home base of London thanks to a dedicated TikTok following. The artist is also making waves beyond their music too. They recently founded the platform Queer Creatives London, a space meant to build and amplify queer voices across the creative arts. With their dedication to fostering relationships, and crafting vulnerable queer anthems like this one, Howells is paving a strong path for themselves in music thanks to their faith in human connection.