Mikaela Davis is a classically trained harpist and, on paper, her instrument’s dulcet plucks are the most intriguing element of her songwriting. But the singer-songwriter tends to shrug at that part of her narrative. “I just happen to play that instrument,” she says. “If I grew up playing guitar, I’d probably still be writing similar songs. But I didn’t pick up a guitar; I picked up a harp instead. It’s the instrument I know best.” The harp’s ethereal timbre inherently provides a distinct vehicle for the funk grooves, folky balladry and New Wave hooks that populate her debut LP, Delivery. But that eclecticism—how she brandishes the instrument in such unorthodox contexts— is what makes the album tick. Working with her live bandmates (drummer Alex Coté and bassist Shane McCarthy), veteran indie-rock producer John Congleton, and featuring The Staves on two tracks, Davis pushed herself to experiment by running her harp through studio effects and guitar pedals. On “Get Gone,” her harp warbles over a thick porno soundtrack strut, building to a bluesy chorus. And on the album’s immediate pop standout “Do You Wanna Be Mine,” her swooping chords intertwine with the atmospheric tones of a vintage Juno synthesizer. In an era when most rock listeners couldn’t name a modern harpist without the aid of Google, Davis obviously stands out on a literal level—and she’s made the most of her unique skill in recent years, appearing onstage alongside artists like Bon Iver, Punch Brothers and Lake Street Dive. And witnessing a crowd’s confusion always fills her with satisfaction. “People usually think the music is going to be more quiet,” she says. “But when we play live, we’re more like a rock band, so people are surprised—it’s something they don’t expect.”