Audrey Hobert explores comfort in the familiar on new single, “Bowling Alley”

Audrey Hobert is definitely a name you should get to know. Best known for her co-writes with Gracie Abrams for Abrams’ own 2024 album “The Secret Of Us” (“Risk”, “Blowing Smoke” and “That’s So True” -just to name a few tracks), Hobert’s determined to break out in the music industry on her own terms.

Fresh off the success of her debut solo single, “Sue Me” (which seemingly appeared out of nowhere), Hobert continues the momentum with her second solo single, “Bowling Alley”. Building on the frankness of its predecessor, “Bowling Alley” demonstrates Hobert’s ability to write catchy tunes with wry humor peppered throughout. “Bowling Alley” was released just this past Friday (June 20th) via RCA Records (part of Sony Music).

The track opens with Hobart saying outright, “So it went like this / I finished work and then I drove home p*ssed”. It’s as if you can literally picture her barging into your room (in the best way possible), sits down on your bed and sighs in exasperation, “Lemme tell you about this PARTY!”

To chill out, Hobert smokes weed then strips down bare (“So I hit the joint, and now I’m feeling better / And I strip down south ‘cause I’m the naked neighbor”). She wonders if this behavior is normal (“It’s a choice, or am I cursed? It’s a toss up”) and - at this point - seems to be having a quarter life crisis (“I do it in a crisis, it’s a crisis nightly now”). But then she looks out her bedroom window, noticing a party across the street (“I see it and it’s striking / It’s a bowling alley party I forgot about”). Note the interesting use of the word “striking” here, pertaining to something both eye-catching and, well, bowling a strike.

The singer nonchalantly decides to go to this party as she shrugs, “And I don’t think anyone cares if I go or not”. Worried she’ll still be seen as awkward, Hobert insists, the “Party’s not fun yet ‘cause I’m [still at home] too busy praying”.

Once finally at said bowling alley party, listeners find Hobert feeling weird because no one notices her. Or is she just projecting this on herself? Suddenly, the singer grabs every party-goers attention by bowling a strike (‘Til I bowl a strike …Everybody loves a winner / Who’s gonna tell ‘em I’m a lucky beginner?).

Despite this, Hobert still feels self-conscious …especially when she looks out the front door and sees something “frightening”. Realizing she left an unattended candle burning in her room, the singer-songwriter hesitates slightly before running out the door …only because now, “I got my jeans on and my crown on / And the whole place totally cares if I go or not”. Although she appreciates the attention, it’s fleeting because the idea of going back home doesn’t seem so bad (“But I’ll be honest, yeah, the nightgown sounds kinda nice …I take the trophy and I Irish goodbye”).

You can picture Hobert walking through the door, finding a sense of comfort in the familiar as she concludes her evening with, “I turn the light on, and stare at the prize”. Although the song abruptly ends here, the songwriter taps into that everyone - at some point - is a creature of habit, including herself.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/47I8eRmRwU4EUX3HUqhFfp?si=eG-xuwB-TNi46TQKqoyKkw