The Elephant in my DAW

[acorn]

The verse vocal is the biggest challenge? I haven't heard that. How so? I'm not trying to be a jerk I'm just curious as to why. It's relatively well recorded. Plus, it's the verse vocal, the second most important element after the chorus vocal. Everything should be a challenge around it.

As to this mix the vocal feels a bit sibilant and buried. The contrast between the verse and chorus might be too stark. I'm not sure it has to sound further away. It's a fairly vulnerable lyric so it should speak closer and connect to the listener but I might be wrong.

Agree with it being a bit sibilant and the dynamics problem between sections. As for the verse, maybe it just my personal opinion but I thought the vocal sounded a little too raw without a sense of space.