Carolina (From The Motion Picture “Where The Crawdads Sing”)

“Carolina” is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for the soundtrack of 2022 murder mystery film Where the Crawdads Sing. Released via Republic Records on June 24, 2022, the song is titled after the Carolinas region in the United States, and sung from the perspective of the film’s protagonist, Kya. “Carolina” was met with strong acclaim from music critics, most of whom felt the song’s ambience matched the film’s atmosphere, and is reminiscent of Swift’s 2020 indie folk albums, Folklore and Evermore. Reviews commended the song for Swift’s vocals, songwriting style, and the overall “haunting” mood.

Produced by Swift and Aaron Dessner, “Carolina” is a slow-paced, downtempo, Americana ballad, particularly in an Appalachian folk style, with country and bluegrass inflections. It is driven by acoustic instruments of the early 1950s, such as fiddle, mandolin, and acoustic guitars. “Carolina” charted in Australia, Canada, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam. It has been nominated for a Critics' Choice Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, and a Satellite Award, amongst other accolades.