Ella Forrest’s latest drop is a new single, “Girl In The Window,” and I have the exclusive early review.
This indie rock and pop banger showcases Forrest’s musical range. Her previous album, Retrograde, featured more R&B.
Forrest wrote this song a few years ago after being inspired by an Instagram post on an anonymous confessions account that expressed how a girl reading in a window the poster had seen captured their heart. Forrest loved the idea of spotting someone in a window and romanticizing a future together with them. Forrest says, “Sometimes I think it plays into the fact that fantasy isn’t always reality, but sometimes just having that experience of feeling, even just a fleeting moment, is very special.”
This song likewise reminds me of a fantasy novel with a bittersweet ending. I am captivated by the references in the song. The descriptions of the “girl in the window” reading, reminds me of the character, Belle, since she is portrayed as a voracious reader in the film, Beauty and the Beast. In another reference from the second verse, Forrest uses the imagery of a duchess in her tower.
During my interview with Forrest, she mentioned how the song also plays on the idea that the person reading is also a character in another fantasy. “They’re in this fantasy world and someone else is on the outside fantasizing about them,” she said.
The full band arrangement further enhances the mood and world building contained within the song. There are gradual drum builds leading up to the chorus, evoking the feeling of suspense, similar to a cliffhanger in a novel. The song ends with a duet of guitar and Forrest’s bittersweet vocals, dynamic and emotional.
“Girl In The Window” is going to be on repeat for me this summer. I love the clever lyrics and groovy arrangement.
Performing at Gateway Festival on July 25th in Bengough Saskatchewan, lucky attendees will be able to catch the full band, Ella Forest and the Great Pines, alongside a lineup that includes GHOSTFORM, Foxwarren, June Thrasher and more. Before you turn into a pumpkin, check out my interview with Forrest from earlier in 2026 to hear more about her music journey and the creative process behind her previous album Retrograde.