San Francisco’s Clarity Liao deepens her solo narrative with “Like I Do,” a piano-led ballad that feels both fragile and assured. Following her alt-pop debut “Hurt My Heart,” the new single further establishes her transition from award-winning band songwriter to a solo voice defined by intimacy and emotional precision.
What’s most striking about “Like I Do” is its origin story: written initially as an English assignment, the song evolved into something far more personal. That academic prompt becomes a doorway into raw confession, as Clarity channels the ache of unrequited love through the metaphor of wandering endlessly through a desert. It’s a simple image, but in her hands, it becomes expansive, isolation stretching to the horizon, longing echoing across empty space.
The arrangement is intentionally restrained. Anchored by delicate piano chords and subtle atmospheric layers, the production never overwhelms. Instead, it creates room for Clarity’s voice to breathe. Her delivery is soft but steady, balancing youthful vulnerability with an emotional awareness that feels strikingly mature. She doesn’t oversing the pain; she lets it unfold naturally, line by line.
Clarity’s background adds further weight to the release. Having begun composing at seven and later serving as principal songwriter for the award-winning band Navillera — whose singles “Too Young” and “I Need You” earned national recognition — she has already proven her compositional strength. Yet “Like I Do” feels different. It’s less about achievement and more about honesty.
There are subtle traces of her influences woven throughout: the confessional clarity of Olivia Rodrigo, the melodic sensibility of Bruno Mars, and the timeless emotional sweep associated with artists like Celine Dion. But rather than imitate, Clarity filters those inspirations into a sound that blends indie pop, R&B, and bedroom pop textures with understated elegance.
As a preview of her forthcoming EP Dear…, “Like I Do” suggests a project rooted in reflection and storytelling. Themes of love, jealousy, and loss seem poised to unfold with similar nuance and polish. If this single is any indication, Clarity Liao isn’t simply writing songs about growing up, she’s documenting it in real time.
With “Like I Do,” she proves that vulnerability, when paired with craft, can be quietly powerful. It’s a tender, beautifully measured step forward for one of pop’s most promising emerging voices.