I love a good costume drama. The romance, the elegance, the opulence – it feels like some tangible fairy tale, a window into someone’s real life storybook ending. It’s so easy to grow accustomed to seeing these love stories through an idealised, cinematic filter, that we forget life in those days wasn’t all lavish balls and longing glances. There’s so much strife, hardship and unfairness just out of view. That’s so often the truth behind romance, even now. Scottish singer/songwriter Kohla draws inspiration from her own love of period dramas with her latest single ‘Fantasy’, the title track from her forthcoming sophomore album. Adorned with all the richness and elegance one would expect from her gossamer vocals and lush orchestration, it follows a journey of approaching love from a place of trauma. Seeing the idyllic romance you long for, but knowing how painful the act of reaching for it can be. Going against every self preservation instinct trying to keep you from getting hurt again, in pursuit of a meaningful connection. This bittersweet ballad, rich with tenderness and soulful melancholy, reflects on the mental toll worth paying for a glimpse at a fairy tale ending.