Photo credit: Shannon Earl

People change, circumstances change and, with them, so do friendships. These evolutions can be confusing without proper context, and Ava Earl is here to help us make sense of them with her latest single, “The Roses.”

The 18-year-old Alaskan folk songstress wrote “The Roses” about a friend with whom she had begun to experience a disconnect. Although she and this friend have since drifted apart, that period of time held some keys that would help her better understand her role in relationships going forward.

“At the time, I was struggling to figure out why our relationship was rocky, and the first part of the song is about me blaming myself. It took me a long time to realize that some people can be part of your life without having control over your emotions,” she said. “I have redefined a lot of friendships in my head just by framing it with the idea that I can have friends for different reasons, and that in some cases, being casual friends is a more beneficial relationship to both people; you don’t have to stay best friends with people just because that’s how it’s always been. Circumstances change, and so do people, and that’s what this song — and the album as a whole — are about.”

As for the album, it’s also called The Roses, and it’s set for release on July 23. Recorded in Nashville and produced by JT Nero of the Americana outfit Birds of Chicago, the album features hauntingly beautiful background vocals from Allison Russell and Awna Teixeira. While you wait for its arrival, enjoy the title track below!