Emerging artist Girl Next Door, the moniker of singer, songwriter, and producer Sarah Carton, has unveiled her eagerly awaited new EP, Darling I Saw The Way You Looked At Me Tonight.
With a series of acclaimed performances, including a sold-out show at Brixton’s Windmill, the EP showcases Sarah’s most accomplished and multifaceted work to date. Created alongside producer Erik Miles, celebrated for his collaborations with Soft Play, Baby Dave, and Kate Nash, and mastered by Kevin Tuffy, the project journeys through experimental electronics and emotionally resonant songwriting. Tracks like If Dance Floors Were Silent feature evocative spoken word and minimal electronics, while the title track embraces vibrant experimentation. Meanwhile, CTRL combines driving beats with irresistible melodies, demonstrating Sarah’s versatility and depth as a songwriter.
The lead single Causeway captures the EP’s blend of emotional honesty and musical sophistication. With swirling synths, understated guitar lines, and deep bass, the track creates a lush sonic atmosphere anchored by Sarah’s heartfelt vocal delivery. Describing the song, Sarah says, “As the final track on an EP exploring hedonism and early adulthood, I wanted it to feel like the morning after a night out—sort of like the EP’s ‘come down.’ The ‘causeway’ represents being stuck in a liminal space between together and apart, a place you know you can’t stay for long.”
Reflecting on the EP as a whole, Sarah explains how Darling I Saw The Way You Looked At Me Tonight became a vehicle to explore the transition from adolescence to adulthood. “It started as a phrase I kept coming back to when writing lyrics, and it grew into something much bigger. The EP captures that hazy, hedonistic period where societal expectations change overnight, and we’re left navigating relationships and loss without a rulebook. It’s about the death of innocence and the search to rediscover childlike wonder, even as we face the darker realities of growing up.”
Sarah’s playful side shines on tracks like Froggie, where she embraced new recording techniques and let go of self-imposed rules, creating a sense of rediscovery through experimentation. This spirit of reinvention is central to her project as Girl Next Door, a name chosen to subvert traditional feminine archetypes and reclaim power in a male-dominated industry. “I’m not going to try to please men or fit into the man-made box of the music industry,” she asserts.
With over 2 million Spotify streams and consistent support from Spotify and Apple Music editorial playlists, Girl Next Door has already established herself as a rising force. Her work has been championed by notable figures like Jamz Supernova, who called her “the child of Kate Nash,” and draws inspiration from artists like FKA Twigs, Caroline Polachek, and The Streets.
Originally from Bishop’s Stortford and now based in London, Sarah’s path to music has been anything but conventional. From her early days in music production, theatre, and spoken word, including her award-winning solo show Hatch, to a residency at Camden’s Roundhouse, she has always embraced creative exploration. With Darling I Saw The Way You Looked At Me Tonight, Girl Next Door has crafted a bold, deeply personal collection that showcases her growth as an artist and her commitment to pushing boundaries.
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