Sometimes, the quietest songs say the most. George Collins’s new single “Houston” is one of those rare songs that sneaks up on you. It’s a slow, steady pulse of emotion. It’s a song about distance, but not just the kind that separates planets, but the kind that grows between two people who can’t quite find the same orbit anymore.

Written during a songwriting retreat in Spain, “Houston” takes its cue from an unexpected place – the Apollo 13 mission. Collins and his co-writers were challenged to write a song about “space,” and instead of leaning into the literal, they turned much more inwards.

The final track is one that uses the language of exploration and crisis – “Houston, we have a problem” – to reflect on something deeply human. Namely, how communication can break down when love starts to drift.

The opening lines “You don’t seem to notice, maybe you don’t really care, I’m lost and lonely, floating around you somewhere”, Collins sets the emotional tone with honesty. There is a kind of accpetance that makes the pain more poignant. He is not blaming, but describing what it feels like to lose a connection one quiet moment at a time.

The production which is arranged and produced by Grammy nominated composer Jeff Franzel, suits the theme perfectly.

Collins originally wrote the song on acoustic guitar, but here it’s transformed into a delicate piano and cello arrangement. The piano moves patiently beneath the vocals, while the cello drifts in subtly and full of texture. Each note echoes the theme of communication across distance.

Collins’s vocals are what truly carries the song. When he reaches the chorus “If we’re ever gonna cross a chasm this wide / We’re gonna have to pass through our dark side” is a quiet revelation. He does not need to raise his voice to make the point.

Overall though, “Houston” feels real. You can see the dim light of the room, two people not talking, and the sense of something beautiful slipping away. Collins turns that small, human moment into something much bigger. His writing shows craftsmanship for language and melody.

By the end, when Collins sings “And time is running out,” it’s recognition – the kind that comes when you finally see how fragile connection really is.

Listen to “Houston” on Spotify now.

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