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 David Dawson
We live in a divided society. The term ‘You’ll never please everyone’ feels more relevant than ever as around the globe people are polarised by their opinions. Left vs right, new vs old, and, of course, Jacob vs Edward; it feels like there’s always a disagreement to be had somewhere - and thanks to social media, you don’t have to look too far to find it. One of the more prominent debates - or 'feuds' would maybe be more appropriate - is the endless passive aggressive (and sometimes just aggressive) ramblings of millennials and baby boomers as they go at each other hammer and fist about who ruined everything, who’s had a harder time and who is just worse in general. So, who better than myself, a millennial, to see if there’s actually any substance to either side of the argument; or whether it’s just keyboard warriors with too much time on their hands. Working Hard According to many boomers this is a concept that millennials will not be familiar with. It’s the argument that’s bandied about the most; millennials love to sit and complain about the world and how hard life is, but really if they just got off their backsides and put in some graft, for once, maybe they’d achieve something with their lives. This is usually responded to with some quip about how boomers had a much easier time of things back in the good old days. So, is there substance to either side? Well, as a millennial, it’s hard not to feel a little insulted when the generation before us writes us all off as lazy. It’s no secret that times are tough. The world is literally being destroyed, the economy sucks, politicians suck and the employment market sucks. House prices have gone crazy in this past year or so, and even before that were steadily increasing at a rate that is hugely disproportionate to that of the average salary. I won’t bore/depress you all with the figures, but the fact of the matter is that it’s just a lot more difficult to buy property these days, unless you’re in a very well paid job. Well guess what, that’s harder too. The employment market now is very different to what it has been in the past. How many stories have you heard from as little as 30 years ago of companies taking a chance on someone only for them to work their way up the ladder; or your grandad telling you he walked into some company or other, told them he wanted a job and got his first pay cheque the next week. Nowadays, even to come in at the very bottom of the pile, university degrees and experience just simply aren’t enough. Half the time you fill out two hours’ worth of application forms and skills tests for a job only to hear nothing back. So what if you went and got an education, so did the other 80 people who applied. Let’s not forget that we are looking into our long futures at a planet scarred by climate change and an ever-growing overpopulation problem. Whilst we aren’t angels, we certainly haven’t been around long enough to do that sort of damage. It’s like getting your inheritance through and finding you’ve been left a burning building – sure, you’d always wanted the house, but there’s not much you can do with it now. Hardly Working So it seems that life was just easier back in the day, right? People could walk into half decent jobs, earn good money and buy a house – and guess what – thanks to the housing market, you’d be able to sell that profit on for a ludicrous amount of profit 10 years down the line. Millennials aren’t just whinge bags, we have it tough! Well, true…ish. Sure, things are tough right now, but when it comes to these social arguments millennials are just as bad as the boomers. It often seems that us millennials are so wrapped up in our own hardships that we forget that other people had their own. Of course there were some things that were better back in the day, but there are some things that are better now. The term boomer literally comes from the baby boom, a phenomenon during and after the second world war in which soldiers would return home, and after time away would want to start families. We are literally talking about a generation born into a world trying to pick up the pieces after one of the most brutal conflicts the world has ever seen. Even moving later into the generation, the 60s through to the 80s was a time of huge divide and was far from a picnic politically. Sure, we can look back and say that jobs were easier to come by and money was easier to make, but it’s not like it was all hunky dory. Also, is it fair to blame boomers for climate change? Everything these days is disposable; everything gets thrown away and everything is wrapped in copious amounts of plastic. It’s not always been like that, and as a generation we have to take some responsibility for how we act for the environment. After all, in the good old days, if something was broken it got fixed, not chucked. So, maybe the boomers didn’t have it easy, but does that make it right to label us all as whingers? Well, sort of. I mean, we are a little, aren’t we? Let’s face it, as a generation we were born with the world at our fingertips. Thanks to vast developments in technology, we now have the attention spans of goldfish and expect everything instantaneously. Travel is easier than ever before and we interact with technology 24/7. Have we got used to the easy life it has given us? Recently, I was driving home from the Long Road festival when the sat nav on my phone that links to the screen on my car inexplicably decided not to play ball. The signal was blotchy and even when I managed to get some it wouldn’t link through properly – just all-around frustrating times. I remember an urge to launch my phone out of the window bubbling up inside me – but looking back now, it makes me realise that maybe we don’t realise how good we have it. I’m not saying our life is easy by any stretch, I know first hand it isn’t, but actually looking back at that I realised how privileged we are. I was annoyed because the device that at the touch of a button literally guides me the whole way home, tells me what lane to drive in and where the speed cameras are momentarily didn’t work, but what about times before us when people were juggling paper road maps and trying to figure out where they actually were; relying on road signs to guide them and just praying that they ended up somewhere familiar. A common jibe I see from boomers is that us millennials don’t understand how to save money, and that if we did, maybe things wouldn’t be so tough. This sometimes feels like a stupid argument, as if scraping together our pennies will be the difference between us being nowhere near and able to afford a house worth 15 times our salaries; but there is some truth to it. I know plenty of people who complain all the time that they’re broke, but don’t bat an eyelid at spending six quid on a posh coffee. Even when I was a kid, it seemed that luxuries were few and far between as our parents seemed to have to work much harder to make their money last, even though in reality they were probably somewhat better off. Sure, dropping your coffee order isn’t going to get you that house in the next 30 years, but that doesn’t mean we should just give up on saving money, does it? I’m not going to say that any generation has it easier or harder, because the truth is I don’t think they do. Both present different challenges. Sure, it winds me up when a boomer calls my generation lazy, as much as it probably winds them up when we suggest that they didn’t have any real issues to deal with, or when we blame them for climate change. The real takeaway is that both generations need to look inwards. Boomers really need to begin to appreciate that actually, just because they managed to buy a house when they were 19 from a lower-than-average salary ,that doesn’t mean millennials should be able to do the same. The fact is, times are different now and it wouldn’t hurt to have a little understanding. Similarly, millennials need to realise that, actually, we are pretty lucky to have a lot of the luxuries we have, and that technology has certainly made some aspects of our lives easier. We also need to understand that we aren’t the first people in the world to have hard times, and that just because things suck for us doesn’t mean they don’t for anyone else. Beyond that, I guess the real takeaway would be to stop arguing with people on Facebook; it just isn’t worth anyone’s time and only serves to leave two people who have never met filled with anger and contempt.
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 Sometimes we just need an escape from the real world. Some of us like to read books, some like to watch films and some like to listen to music. What if, however, I told you there's a way to combine all three? Here's David and Maxim's top ten songs for you to get lost in the story of. 10. Started A Band - Ben Burgess This is admittedly a bit of a rogue choice, and not a song I immediately warmed to, but it’s nonetheless a track that provides a hugely memorable storyline. Our protagonist takes his girlfriend to a concert, only for her to end up going home with the lead singer following the after-show Meet-and-Greet. As he wallows in his frustration, Burgess decides to start his own band in retaliation. At first, he only has the proverbial ‘man and his dog’ to perform to. However, in a satisfyingly cyclical conclusion, Burgess ends the song by - truthfully - recounting playing in front of a hundred thousand fans in support of country megastar, Morgan Wallen. And, perhaps less truthfully, the girl that spurned him all those years ago turns up for the Meet-and-Greet. Does she go home with him? In a wonderfully petty move, Burgess details what happens, “When she ran around back when the show was over/I took the picture, acted like I didn't know her”. Despite being a musically intense song, it has a light-hearted, fun feel - and the hook is irresistibly catchy. MM 9. Stan - Eminem This weird and wonderful tune came from the era of peak Eminem. From the perspective of an infatuated fan, the song details the letters that Stan writes to Em, which for the most part don’t get to him. Stan becomes increasingly infuriated at his lack of response and the letters grow increasingly obsessive, aggressive and strange. The tragic end to the song is the tape Stan records driving down the highway with his long-suffering girlfriend locked in the boot before the car goes flying off the edge. It’s certainly not an easy listen, but has always intrigued me as a song, and the iconic chorus from Dido, also performed live by Elton John, is somewhat of a shining light in an otherwise very dark song. DD 8. Wait in the Truck - HARDY ft. Lainey Wilson Another classic country murder ballad, HARDY and Lainey Wilson combine to produce one of the stand-out songs of 2022. HARDY outlined that the song was inspired by a non-physical altercation that his wife had been involved in, where a guy had tried to chat her up in a bar. He expanded out the idea and created a darkly captivating song about a man who comes across an abused woman while driving one night. He tells her to “wait in the truck”, and he subsequently heads straight to the man’s house and delivers the woman’s retribution. Despite going to prison for his crime, HARDY definitely comes off as the hero of the song, and the ominously dramatic music video that accompanies it is well worth a watch. MM 7. I Don't Care - Quadeca This is one of my favourite songs, and I actually wrote a piece on it in the last issue. A great song to listen to, but also an incredibly clever and well written one. Within the song, Quadeca is clearly suffering, struggling to come to terms with his successes and life in general. However, this isn’t made apparent to us from the off. We only really find out that ‘I don’t care’ is not a genuine statement, but an attempt to convince himself, when in the second verse he details the story of a message he received on Instagram from someone whose friend was a fan of Quadeca, and tragically just killed themselves. The climax, and the ‘plot twist’ if you will, is when Quadeca discovers the kid that killed himself had messaged Quadeca before, and he had consciously ignored the message as one of the many he receives from fans every day. A tragic story but a really beautiful song. DD 6. Jamie - Zach Bryan ft. Charles Wesley Godwin This is one of my favourite songs at the moment, and undoubtedly one of the hidden gems in Zach Bryan’s impressive repertoire. With the help of the stunning vocals of his good buddy, Charles Wesley Godwin, Zach tells the tale of a man who stumbles out of a bar late one night, and decides to take a long drive. At first, we’re not sure where he’s heading, but we then learn that he’s on his way to meet his love. He realises he’s being followed by the Police, presumably for drunk driving, but he continues on regardless. When he finally reaches his destination at dusk, his pursuers draw their guns, just as we learn that Jamie’s actually been driving to the grave where the love of his life was laid to rest, after she passed away when they were only young. The story concludes in a beautifully bittersweet way, with the man being shot, which means that he is free to return to dance with his love “in the stars”. It’s full of visceral, haunting lyrics, such as, “The flashin' red and blue in a cracked rear view/He remembers a smile he once owned”. Be sure to check out the duo’s iconic live rendition of ‘Jamie’ on Zach Bryan’s new live album, which dropped on Christmas Day. MM 5. Ballad of the 20th Maine - The Ghost of Paul Revere This song is a recent discovery for me, as are the band that sing it. Whilst curiously wandering around the Long Road festival this year we ended up stopping at the Buddy’s Good Time bar stage for a little. Having become impressed by the group performing; we then managed to hear them later on the Interstate stage. This beautiful folk song details the story of Andrew Tozier, who left his home in Maine to fight in the war in 1861. The song is absolutely beautiful to listen to but is also beautifully written. The lyrics play off like a ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ style war poem as the song details the battles and bravery of those involved. It’s one of those that, despite having nothing to do with the American Civil War or living anywhere near any of it, you can’t help but be filled with pride and energy as you listen. Unfortunately, I learned that, just as I had discovered this great band and their beautiful songs, they have decided to call it quits after 11 years. Thankfully I got the chance to see them live, and their music remains on Spotify! DD 4. There Goes My Life - Kenny Chesney I accept that I may well be a tad biased, but for me, nobody pulls off a heart-wrenching, no-I’ve-just-got-something-in-my-eye ballad as well as King Kenny. The song opens with a young man finding out that his partner is pregnant, and all he can think about are the plans, hopes and aspirations that he’ll have to kiss goodbye as a result - “There goes my life”, he says. Then, we find him “a few thousand diapers later”, and he’s watching his beloved daughter, thinking, “There goes my life”, this time referring to her. Lastly, after another fast-forward, our protagonist is waiting to say goodbye to his daughter as she’s loading up her car and getting ready to head off to college. With a tear preparing its descent down his cheek, he muses wistfully, “There goes my life”. I’m not crying, you are. MM 3. The Dance - Garth Brooks This song is one of Garth Brook’s most famous, which, considering he is one of the best-selling artists of all time, tells you how well known it is. The song is one of those that somehow seems to be simultaneously happy and sad. It focuses on a protagonist who reminisces about the beautiful moment he and his partner shared when they had ‘The Dance’ and looks back on how perfect it was. The thought is interrupted by the protagonist thinking about the eventual end of the road, imagining if only he could have known then that things wouldn’t work out. The real beauty in the song, and what makes it meaningful for a lot of people, is that he banishes these thoughts. He’s glad he didn’t know back then that the end was nigh because it would have ruined this perfect moment, and no matter what has or what will happen, he will always have that perfect moment to look back on. It’s a real tear-jerker, and for reasons you can imagine the song has since gained a lot of meaning to people who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Although the song is really about a break-up, the sentiment translates perfectly, forgetting the end for a while to hold on to those precious moments, something that will always be with you even if the person isn’t any more. My one frustration with this song, or with Garth really, is that his songs don’t seem to be anywhere! You can find covers but unless you get hold of an old CD or something you’ll probably struggle to hear his version. DD 2. Next Thing You Know - Jordan Davis After the success of ‘Buy Dirt’, many were wondering how Jordan Davis was going to follow up the CMA-winning single. ‘Next Thing You Know’ is how. This track flicks affectionately through all the key chapters of a man’s life, from meeting someone in a bar to moving in with them, and the next thing he knows he’s getting married and sitting happily “on a honeymoon beach”. The dexterity of how each stage of life is portrayed in all its colour and vibrancy, despite each one only receiving a couple of lines apiece, underlines how Jordan Davis is settling into the bigger-picture, storytelling sweet-spot that ‘Buy Dirt’ pinpointed. The most powerful lyrical sequence comes after he’s just found out his wife is pregnant: “Cause next thing you know/You're wearing scrubs and a funny white hat and the/Doctor's sayin', ‘How you doin' there, dad?’ and/Nobody's ever called you that”. MM 1. Paradise By The Dashboard Light - Meatloaf What I didn’t realise when assembling this list is that most of the storytelling songs I know err on the sadder side of things; thankfully this one doesn’t! One of the most iconic songs from one of the most iconic albums from one of the most iconic artists, if I had to sum up this song with a word I’d have to say it’s…iconic! Thanks to Meatloaf's experience on the stage and the unique operatic writing style of Jim Steinman, this song is a full eight or so minutes of emotions and drama. The song follows two young teenagers who are sitting in a parked car getting hot and heavy. Meatloaf can’t believe his luck as a 17 year old enjoying the company of one of the prettiest girls in the school; "All the kids at school, they were wishing they were me that night". As the song moves on the mood gets steamier, but just before it's all systems go, the girl demands that they stop! Before they go any further she wants to know that he isn’t just using her. She insists that Meatloaf promise her that he will love her forever, but Meatloaf is reluctant; "Let me sleep on it, baby baby let me sleep on it", As you would expect, the 17 year old boy finally succumbs to his desires and makes all of these promises to the young girl - he’ll love her forever. This brings us to the final act of the song, suddenly we are 30 or so years in the future and Meatloaf and the girl are sick to the back teeth of each other! He can’t break his promise to stick until the end of time, but just wait in hope for that time to come! "I’m waiting for the end of time, so I can end my time with you". Honestly it’s so hard to do it justice with a written synopsis, because it has so many twists and turns and as you listen it evolves and evolves throughout. It’s an all-time favourite of mine and is a style of songwriting and performing that sadly we are unlikely to see again. DD
 David Dawson
Megan Thee Stallion has always been divisive for me – having heard her freestyle raps and excellent lyrical skills, I’m always a bit underwhelmed when she releases music. Of course every successful artist who wants to sell music is a little at the mercy of whatever is working at the time, and maybe this is what influences Megan, but her music just never, for me anyway, seems to show her at her talented best. That being said, I have always admired Megan for treading her own path and not being afraid of criticism. Releasing a song called ‘WAP’ (we all know what it is by now I’m not going to spell it out) was always going to split opinions and cause reaction, but whilst some people saw a crude and explicit song with an equally crude and explicit video, some also saw a powerful play about women’s body autonomy, feminism and equality. After all, how many songs do we hear on the radio, and not bat an eyelid at, from men who discuss women in the same way – why shouldn’t the women be able to take charge of it? Anyway, this wasn’t intended to be an article on feminism, and the point that I am making is that you can say what you want about Megan, but sometimes you just have to admire her. And I count myself in this, although her music isn’t really to my taste ,I do appreciate and understand what she’s doing, and I respect that she is an important player in the music industry game right now. However, what I respect even more than that is her attitude towards mental health. Rap has always had a tough exterior and this has often included the artists. Before Drake came along and changed the game, talking about any sort of emotion was often seen as a weakness and only those at the top (Biggie being a prime example) could do it and keep their respect. It would be easy for Megan, therefore, to lean into her ‘Bad Bitch’ persona and act like she hasn’t got problems, difficulties or challenges. Although times are changing, there’s an argument that it may have even helped her music and career to do so. Despite all of this, Megan has recently announced a new website initiative for her fans called ‘Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too’, a lyric borrowed from her song ‘Anxiety’. Firstly, I love the title and I think it sets the tone so well. It’s so simple yet sends such a strong message to all of her fans. Not only does it reassure her fans that mental health issues don't make you any less of a ‘Bad Bitch’, it also suggests to the fans that idolise her that she too goes through what they go through, and actually that they’re all in it together. I think it’s so intelligent of her to lean into her ‘Bad Bitch’ persona in this way, owning the phrase and driving the message that tough times don’t define you, you can still be what you are, who you want or how you want to be. The website is extremely simple and crisp but is laid out very effectively. The idea is to be a hub for mental health for her fan group, and I think that is exactly what she has achieved. Scrolling down through the site shows you various links to therapy platforms, articles, research, contacts and helplines. She also gives a specific focus to the LGBTQIA+ and black communities with numbers and links to hot-lines that are run specifically for people in these demographics. The site also contains a few quotes and a triumphant picture of Megan at the bottom looking as if to be somewhere between a scream and a roar – again, another really simple touch, but it just backs this message that you can be powerful and still have a hard time. So, although musically Megan isn’t my favourite artist, she has always had my respect, and she’s earned it even more so now. This isn’t the first time Megan has spoken about mental health by a long stretch, and she has always been somewhat of an ambassador, but I love to see her really take a lead as an artist and pioneering something so simple yet so effective for her fans is really incredible. Whilst helping through all the resources provided on the actual site, the message it sends shouldn’t be underestimated and really encourages her fans to open up. I also think that being a role model for so many women, and particularly young women, Megan taking a stance on this offers real hope and empowerment. Not only is this a strong woman opening up about her mental health, she’s also telling all those that look up to her that it is okay. Often, when we see people in the limelight, we end up with such a refined and rehearsed image that when we try to emulate our role models it’s impossible for us. Megan’s message handles this perfectly, admitting her struggles but simultaneously stating that this doesn’t make her any less of the ‘Bad Bitch’ anyone thought she was. Think what you like about Megan, but no one can deny the importance of what she is doing. Hi Kel! Thanks so much for talking to me today! Your most recent release is the fantastic song ‘Still a Child’ – what was the influence for this song?
It’s such a special song to me, so thanks for the compliments about it, and for asking! I think there are always a lot of influences that come into play, but for this song in particular I was watching a video of myself! My sister had sent it to me and it’s of when I was younger and I just kind of awkwardly singing into the camera, really insecure. I watched it and thought that I’m still that young girl in a lot of ways; I know that in mental health work and psychology there’s a lot of that talk about your inner child. So, I really started to get this idea about singing to my inner child and looking at who I am now against who I was then, but also recognising that I’m still that person and who I am has always been inside of me. It’s really about nurturing that part of yourself and trying to figure out life the best we can, one day at a time! One thing I’ve found from interviews in the past is that often the most emotional and heavy songs sound the most light hearted. ‘Still a Child’ definitely fits the bill. The strong message carried in the lyrics is contrasted by a melody and beat that is catchy and fun. Is there a reason why you chose to put the song together this way? Yeah, absolutely! I think firstly having that contrast makes it interesting and fun to listen to, but it’s also showing that contrast about being a kid and being unaware and aloof almost and, as they say, innocence is bliss! That’s where the melody and the track come into play. It’s that childlike innocence, and then the lyrics really go into this idea that life is no joke, things happen and it’s tough! What I love about this song is that it’s really relatable to any time of your life, the chorus talks about feeling alone and being a stranger in your own home and I know that can very be applicable to children. People who haven’t had the support at home can often grow up and reflect and realise that maybe their childhood wasn’t quite as blissful as they thought it was. For me, personally, I had a different experience where I didn’t have the perfect childhood, no one does, but at the same time it was still a pretty idyllic childhood, I was really lucky. Once I became an adult, I started to burst out of that bubble, and it wasn’t until the pandemic that I started struggling with anxiety myself and experiencing mental health in a very intimate way and learning to impact that. Even feeling like a stranger in your own body, it’s something that is just so foreign and is something that was new for me, because I had to learn these lessons later in life once I became an adult. I just love how this song can be applicable to be whatever stage of life you’re in and that’s always my goal in my music, people listen to it and think of themselves, not me. You’ve been open in the past about your struggle with anxiety, especially during the pandemic. If you could go back now and offer yourself some advice to get through that time, what would it be? It’s a good question, because being totally honest it’s something I still struggle with. I feel like it almost opened a pandora’s box; I have come a long way and I’m really proud of myself, and therapy is amazing, but thinking about what I’d say to myself? I think I had a mental breakdown last week! What would I say to myself last week! I think what I try to remind myself a lot is that I’m not my thoughts. With everyone having different struggles, for anxiety particularly, what I’ve experienced is my thoughts just spiralling and getting out of control. It’s so bizarre, but I was talking to my sister about it a few weeks ago; it’s like I’m having a battle in my head. There’s the logical, rational and reasonable part of me that’s like an observer, so I know what I’m feeling and that the spiralling isn’t productive or healthy, but the other side of me that is spiralling is also putting up a fight! I think the biggest reminder, whether when I was first struggling or now, is that you’re not your thoughts. Just breathe and pause - sometimes you have to let yourself ride the wave and get through it. For anyone else struggling, it’s also about not shaming yourself for having those moments of weakness and recognising that it’s human. Start developing healthy habits, it’s the little things that can really help you in the end. You have spoken about how during your anxiety issues, often people would praise you for ‘having it together’ even though you felt as if you didn’t. We often feel a need to mask our issues - how important do you think it is for us to be as open and honest as you have been in this song? I think the more that you bottle it up, the more it can build up because there’s not a release, and even just having that human connection can make a difference. With my personality, I’ve always been such a high achiever and had a ‘go go go’ mentality, constantly doing 100 things at once. So for me it has been hard to bring down that façade. I think the lyric you’re referring to is ‘Man, she’s got her act together but they don’t know the storms I weather’ but I still find myself putting up that façade sometimes! I don’t think there’s always a problem with that, it’s good to have those boundaries of who you can open up to and when it’s appropriate, but I have found the times I have broken down those walls, let people in and shared my struggles, we always end up closer and better for it. It’s retraining yourself to think that it’s actually positive and going to benefit the relationship and your health and your mind, as opposed to what I think the first thought is, that we can’t show weakness. That’s part of growing up, learning to be accepting that everyone has their weaknesses. I really relate to that, it’s hard finding that balance! Obviously if a colleague you don’t know too well asks how you are, you aren’t really going to want to go into great detail sharing all of your troubles, so it becomes a constant consideration of how much do you say and who do you tell. What I will say is that in the ‘downtime’ or more consistent moments, it’s important to work on intentionally building those relationships, when you’re good or more regulated. Making sure you’re invested in the people around you so that it’s not just a case of only calling when you’re having a problem, but genuinely having that friendship. I’ve written in the past about the difficulties of growing up and the weight of expectations we feel as we get older. I love the verse in the song about dancing to Shania Twain as a three-year-old, and how at that time you were completely free with the whole world in front of you. The theme of this song is very much about looking fondly at the past and wanting to get back to that place of freedom and innocence. How do you think as adults we can try to recapture some of those sentiments? Do you still dance to Shania?! Yes, I do! I still love Shania! I think that’s a really good point that you bring up, it’s not just getting stuck in the past or analysing the past but creating those moments now. For me it’s giving yourself permission to have fun and be silly. I saw a video about how some people were walking in their neighbourhood and their neighbour was spraying his lawn with a hose and they just asked him if they could run through the hose! The neighbour ended up holding the hose out for them so they could run through the water, they were just two adults having a totally fun moment! I think it’s about recognising that a lot of people have that side to them, that silliness, that playfulness. You have to kind of be brave yourself to ‘run through the hose’! Shedding some of the ego of being together and proper all the time. Just like running on the beach and into the water or blasting the music in my car and not caring if the car next to me is looking at me like I’m a freak! Those little things of being in the moment! I feel like a great example for our generation is video games. They were a new thing as we were young, so were always associated as being strictly a thing for kids, however, as we have all grown up many of us still use video games as a way to relax. People are coming home from their careers to play games as it’s their way to shut off. I feel like there’s a stigma though amongst the older generations that it is a sign of immaturity or childishness to enjoy these things they’ve always associated with children. I just started playing ‘Breath of the Wild’! I heard so many good things and I finally got into it! It’s the most peaceful thing! I’ll be there picking up mushrooms and cooking them in a pot, it is really fun! You’re just enjoying the moment and letting yourself relax and unwind! That’s a good point about maturity, I think sometimes we use that word as a weapon. Personally, I believe maybe it’s appropriate in terms of interpersonal relationships and emotional regulation like if someone is immature because they behave the wrong way; but I think it sometimes goes in the wrong way, like this weapon of ‘Oh you play video games, that’s immature’, but it’s okay to be immature sometimes if it’s directed in a healthy way! The repetition of ‘I’m still a child’ in each chorus, and then especially at the end was very powerful to me, especially when it comes back at the end in children’s voices! Firstly, and slightly off topic, are the kids in the recording ones you know or were they just randomly recruited? I’m actually really lucky to have a bunch of nieces and nephews! I’m the youngest of five kids and all of my siblings have kids of their own! I messaged them and asked if they could get their kids to say or sing it! I replicated it in my phone, then had them record a voice memo and send it back, then we built it into the chorus that you hear. It was so darn cute! When I got them back, I just thought it was exactly what the song needed! So, they were real children, and they were the cherry on top in terms of the song! The other thing about the ‘I’m still a child’ line is that I wasn’t sure which way to interpret it. On one hand I thought maybe you were trying to convince yourself and holding onto those happy times of the past, not wanting to let go. The other interpretation I had was that you are trying to tell those people around you who assumed that you were fine and well during your anxiety that actually underneath the surface you are vulnerable and you do need support. The great thing about music is that the real truth is in the mind of the listener, however, would you say any of these interpretations hold some truth for you? Yeah, those both really resonate. I always feel like a good chorus, or even post chorus, can have multiple meanings. You know, as the first verse comes in it means one thing, then as the second verse comes in, it means another thing, and so on. A song that I resonate with - and I aspire to write these types of songs - is where the meaning evolves and it doesn’t just have one black and white meaning. So, I think both of those could be really applicable, and I also think another perspective could be kind of accepting it yourself! Realising that you are still a kid, despite thinking you should have everything figured out but in reality have no idea what you’re doing, kind of like imposter syndrome. I always love to leave it open to interpretation, because depending on who is listening, they’re going to resonate with their own version of it and that’s really the point. Another line in the song that really stood out to me was, ‘All at once the future’s unknown’. One thing I’ve struggled a lot with is being a ‘worrier’, constantly focused on the future and having everything planned out, so that I don’t enjoy the present. Do you think that sometimes in life we can spend too much time focused on the destination, and not enjoying the journey? Oh my gosh, yeah! You’re speaking my language. For me, that’s at the core of anxiety, that’s at the core of when you’re having an anxiety or panic attack, like for me, it’s usually triggered by uncertainty. I’ve really had to learn, and still am learning, that I’m not going to know what’s over the hill. I used to be the kind of person that had my five-year plan, my ten-year plan. When you’re growing up and in school you have very clear milestones that are very laid out, advancing to a different year and recitals or sport events or graduation, then you go off to university. It’s so clear cut that from a young age we are conditioned to have these milestones and structure. For children, that’s very necessary, but then to make that switch is really hard as an adult. What’s my milestone? I think for a long time, personally, I was very tied to visible metrics and optics; I graduated high school early and got my degree in three years, I went and got a corporate job and wanted to climb the ladder and be a CEO. I was so fixated on these external things because it gave me a recipe. Then, I realised I wanted to do music, which has none of that! Everyone’s path as a musician is very different. I definitely have been a ‘worrier’ and still am, it’s just a case of constantly going back to remind myself that I might not know what’s on the other side of the hill, but focusing on taking small steps to be fulfilled in what I’m doing today. But it’s a struggle, dude, I’m still always thinking about that next thing! I completely relate to that! One thing I’ve learned about myself since finishing my education is that I rely on validation. As you mentioned, there are so many milestones in education that give you that, getting good grades or completing a year, for instance. However, I’ve discovered that being an adult, you don’t often get that, when you do well at work it’s kind of just your job, there’s no good grade for it! I had no idea I relied on it so much until growing up and losing it! Yeah, totally. You have to learn to validate yourself, right? You get used to having parents or teachers to provide that, and even when you start dating, you’re still using other people for that. It all comes back to learning how to validate yourself. So, there are a ton of personality tests out there and I love them all, I’m weirdly obsessed. One in particular, Enneagram- you should try it - gives you a number and I’m a 3 wing 2. The 3 essentially means ‘obsessed with achieving’ and that’s my main one. Everything you’re saying, you are speaking my language because for someone with my personality type I have tied my success to external measures more than I think has helped me. You should go try the test, it’s a great self-reflection tool. Finally, one thing we ask all of our interviewees is to name their top three songs that relate to mental health. What would be your top three? 1. 'Breathin' – Ariana Grande 2. 'Morning in America' – Jon Bellion 3. 'What a Wonderful World' – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole Added Extra: 'Up' - Shania Twain Kel Adore's latest single, 'Still a Child', is out now on all platforms.  Maxim and David
We loved getting the opportunity to chat to Jaren Johnston from award-winning US country trio, The Cadillac Three, ahead of the band’s hotly anticipated closing set at the Long Road Festival. Something I think the Long Road Festival epitomises is the fact that the UK’s country music fanbase is a very close-knit community. It’s not as big as in the States, and it has an almost familial sense to it. How do you find playing to UK crowds, compared to those back home? We love it, man! We’ve been coming over since 2013, and it's gotten bigger and bigger. I just love the fact that you guys still listen to entire records, and not just one song. We notice that a lot when we’re playing. In the States, it’s not really like that - crowds are waiting for the one big hit. I think that’s why we're done so well over here, because we put out full records. Talking of putting out full records, you’re known for releasing a lot of music. Does this mean you’re constantly revising your set list? It’s exhausting. It’s really just a matter of us learning all the songs. We don’t really create set lists, but we have songs that are in the flow of the set. We attempt to sprinkle in the new ones where it makes sense. It’s an ongoing process. Any word on new music? It’s on the way! We’re about halfway through. It’s tough, we put out so much music in 2020, like you were saying, and we just needed a mental reset. Back then, I could write all day long about how everything being shut down because of the pandemic sucked, but now we don’t really want a sad record. But it’s coming! What’s your favourite song with a theme of mental health? Kacey Musgraves, Follow Your Arrow It’s tough - (to his bandmates) I’m saving you guys a little bit - because most people listen to music to ideally feel good, whether that’s a song about drinking, a song about losing your dad or a song about your dog dying, you know? I wrote this song called ‘Doggone’, and it was on the last Tim McGraw record, and the amount of messages I got from people who had lost a dog...it’s amazing what that does to people. I think music in general is hopefully designed to heal - I don’t know if we’re healing people when we do it! But yeah, it’s just got to provide any kind of release. Every song in theory is coming from some place, and trying to help the artist get through something, celebrate something, forget about something, etc. I think there are different songs for different moments - there will be times when turning on a really simple song will be what I want, and then there’ll be other times when I need something deeper like John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ or Miranda Lambert’s ‘The House That Built Me’. It could be almost anything, which I think is what’s great about music. When I think of your music, I think of it as generally being fuelled by an upbeat, funky style - particularly on Country Fuzz. When you’re putting together a project, to what extent do you factor in the mood - like do you think, ‘Okay, we want this to be a happy record’, and so on? Sometimes we’re just feeling it out. We see where it goes and which songs present themselves. The Tabasco and Sweet Tea record is like a hillbilly DJ set - if that doesn’t make you feel good, then something’s really wrong! We were trying to make that record in 2020 during that time of there being no smiles, and we wanted to try and bring a smile to somebody. We tried to give the whole record away for $1.49, and we couldn’t figure out how to logistically do it with the DSPs, so we ended up doing it for $3.99. So people got a really cheap record that was fun to listen to while sitting on their couch during quarantine, wondering whether the world was ever going to get better. I feel pretty good about that whole thing. With that project, because the title is so distinctive, did you start with the title and build the project out from there, almost as a concept album, or did the title come later? I think it helped us finish it. It was something I started before the pandemic, and it was a reaction to the end of the Country Fuzz record. I started to get into more funky material, like on ‘The Jam’, and we didn’t get to fully explore that. We had to wrap up that record, but we’d had a lightbulb moment with this new sound, so we wanted to see what was going on with it. That became Tabasco. There’s an undeniable sense of genre fluidity with your music. Is this a conscious creative decision, or does it flow naturally out of your process? It ends up leaning one way or another to some degree, but it’s a natural process and we just see what comes out. It’s all an experiment. You feel your way towards the things you’re all connecting to the most, and then once when you’ve got a few of those, then maybe you start to find more of a musical path and sound. Writing and creating music is a very personal thing. As a group of three, do you ever find it difficult when writing together to make sure you’re all on the same page? It’s usually a meeting after every song. We’ll sit and listen to songs on the bus and think, ‘This could be really cool’, and one person will be like, ‘Actually, I don’t know’, and then we’re like, ‘Actually, you’re right’. Every time it's different. Sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s Neil, sometimes it’s Kelby, and sometimes it’s all three of us. Sometimes it’s something we wrote ten or fifteen years ago, and we’re like, ‘Dang, we really loved that, let’s do something with it’. And sometimes we sit there and we know we need something with tempo and that’s badass in order to fit onto the record. It’s different every time. One of my favourite songs of yours is ‘Long After Last Call’. How did that come about? That’s an old song! I wrote that by myself around ten years ago. I wrote it around the time of the Legacy record, but it didn’t quite fit on that. Then it came back up for a later record and it did make sense. It shows how it’s all about timing and how all the songs fit together, you know? In that instance, we felt like it fit better with the Country Fuzz record. There aren’t too many bands in modern country music. Does this create a competitive spirit between you and the other biggest bands in the genre? We’re all friends for the most part. There are a couple of rivalries that are unspoken, like us and Brothers Osborne - we’re good friends, but there’s also a sense of competition there. And then there are bands like Old Dominion who we just cannot stand… Jokes, we’re friends really! And I wrote my first number one with LOCASH in 2010 over at my house - Keith Urban’s ‘You’re Gonna Fly’. We’re all one big family, and it’s very similar to what you explained about the UK country scene. Keep an eye out for an announcement about The Cadillac Three’s upcoming project, but in the meantime, you can stream Tabasco and Sweet Tea on all platforms.  Recently, I’ve been reading ‘Zero Negativity’ by Ant Middleton. Despite the rather large number of times I’ve read the ‘F’ word, it’s really opened my eyes to the value of being positive. As I’m sure many others have, maybe you as the reader have too, I have had my fair share of mental health struggles. During lockdown, I was taking part in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy & getting mentoring, and whilst all of it was really beneficial in the moment, the biggest thing that I learnt was that the more I tried, the better I could make it.
The music industry is particularly tough! In my day job as a PhD researcher at Cardiff University, I spend a lot of time with my headphones in, listening to a podcast or music, knees deep in chemicals & other things, working on my project in Huntington’s Disease. Whilst the outcomes of the project could be life changing, I never feel too much pressure. Everyone supports your wins whilst helping you navigate your failures, and no one minds too much when you put your head down and want to ignore the world for a while. The music industry is the complete opposite really, isn’t it?! Everything you do is being scrutinised and judged in every intimate detail, and there is always someone that has something to say! And by all means, please do, criticism can be very helpful for making something better!! But, should we really care? What should we be doing to help keep us positive, and to make our own desires and goals achievable? One of the lines that struck me in this book was “don’t be one of those people who forget that life should be about trying to pull yourself up, rather than tearing others down”. Such simple words can mean so much! Whilst I always try not to be a negative person, I don’t think I’ve always tried to pull myself up either… I like to think that I work hard, and keep motivated - I’m proud of the business I’ve created in Scarlet River PR & I’m working with other companies so that artists benefit from my services - but when things go wrong, how likely am I to stay positive in the moment and find those things that will pull me over the fence? How positive are you when things don’t quite go your way? How motivated are you to continue pursuing your dream career when it isn’t so easy? Remember where you’ve come from, remember what you’ve achieved, and keep positive! David DawsonI’ve written in the past about the evolution of live music but unfortunately the only thing I can decide on is the fact that it is changing. With this in mind I am going to present two scenarios; the old and the new. I will be positive in both my versions to present little bias and as you read I want you to consider which of these is more to your taste. To be honest my expectation, as with most things, is that people will side with the old, adding comments about ‘better times’ and donning rose coloured spectacles – however I encourage you to give both a fair shot and simply choose what you would find more enjoyable. Old Now I’m not really trying to suggest that every single live concert in times of old was entirely identical, but simply provide a representation of the key elements where I believe the biggest shift has happened within live music. For me, when I think of live music maybe fifty or sixty years ago I think about a full band. I see on stage a drummer, guitarist, bass guitarist, singers and because it’s me I obviously also see a saxophone. The band have rehearsed the full set top to bottom, even throwing some interesting variations to the fans by merging songs into medley form or adding additional chorus’ for the crowd. The singer is the real star, shaking along to however the music takes them and throwing smiles at the crowd. The band may roll their eyes but they know who people are there to see. The backing singers have a few simple steps; maybe a sway and click to look busy when they aren’t required. The performance goes on, song after song interspersed with some talking to the crowd or grabbing a drink. The music sounds just as it does on the album, but somehow better due to its lack of perfection. A bum note here or there and the balance of live instruments not tuned with maximum precision in the studio offers a new perspective to the songs you love. The only thing that stands between you and the voice of your favourite artist is an amplifier and if you close your eyes and pretend, you’d feel as if you’re up on stage. New Now, once again, I’m not suggesting all new concerts are the same et cetera et cetera you get it. As you turn up to the gig you are handed a free wristband; you expected you’d have to pay through the nose for a souvenir but you’ve been handed one at the offset. You’re told it’s got a special part to play in the show and you’ll know when to use it. As you’re anticipating the start of the show the lights suddenly drop before a few crisp laser spotlights work their way around the audience. Suddenly the stage comes to life and it is projected with a light show that put’s New Years to shame. Amongst the crowd of back up dancers on the stage you spot the artist dressed head to toe in something unbelievably stylish and cool. You curse the extra piece of chicken you ate the night before as you try to imagine yourself slipping into something similar. Over the speakers plays one of their hit songs; the bass makes your chest pound and you hear it in a way you could never hear it otherwise. After the intro is accompanied by highly choreographed dancing the artists grabs the microphone and starts singing along to the backing track, somehow managing to dance better than you ever could whilst also singing better. It’s something of a modern opera with so many moving parts, the lights dance around the stage in a rainbow of colours and move perfectly in time with the current song. Suddenly the moment you’ve been waiting for arrives; the artist tells you to raise your wristband to the sky and simultaneously thousands light up – you look around in awe at the spectacle. You have no doubts that you’ve just witnessed quite the show. So, thoughts? I must admit, in writing and trying to be unbiased I found it easier to romanticise about the old scenario. Maybe it is the rose coloured spectacles talking but it just seems like more my cup of tea, which is indeed a British way of saying my own personal unique tastes even though everyone loves tea so it doesn’t make much sense. I think for me I base my experiences mainly from seeing Drake and Seafret. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely loved both. I was in awe of the staging, the lights and the energy Drake bought. It was just the most amazing spectacle. One thing that fell by the wayside though was the music. Hearing his songs played over the speakers in the same way you would listen on your phone just doesn’t feel the same as listening to live instruments for me and as much energy as he put into the dancing and the light show it felt sometimes like he barely sung half the songs, just allowing the recording to play whilst engaging with the fans. As I said before, it was still an unbelievable experience and I left feeling absolutely incredible but I couldn’t help but feel I’d have dropped the dancing, the lights and all the choreography in a heartbeat if it meant I just got to see Drake rapping and singing his songs more. Seafret on the other hand had a spotlight, a simple light box with the band name on and stood onstage, vocalist, guitar and drummer giving heartfelt performances of all of their songs. I think for me there is something to be said of a mix; Seaftet could have maybe added a little more showmanship (although in fairness their emotive ballad style does lend itslef more to simplicity)cand Drake probably could have focues more on the music thasn the show. A happy medium for me would be Coldplay. Not only do they get on stage and give incredible live renditions of their own music but they also turn it into some huge celebration. Colourful stage sets, light shows and all the spectacle you could ever wish to see. I must admit I’m not speaking from experience, only from clips online but Coldplay is for sure on my bucket list. I think that really the development of live music depends for each artist and even each song. A band like Seafret with more ballads and a folky feel were hardly going to sing about heartbreak while breakdancing in the midst of a laser show; whilst Drake was never going to perch himself melancholically at the front of the stage to give a heartfelt rendition of 'Started from the Bottom'. I think it's great that we get a mix of the two and whilst we could compare all day really it just depends what you like. Maybe something has been lost when live instruments left the stage, but maybe something was gained when showmanship became more important.
Lyrical genius, humble honesty and emotional rollercoasters David DawsonSo anyone who knows me, or has taken the time to read some of my previous articles, will probably know that I’m a complete sucker for a song with a story. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I sit vibing in my room to ‘Humpty Dumpty’ though, and to be honest I’m not prone to spending too much time listening to cheesy love songs that detail every stage of the romance. I think for me, in some weird masochistic twist, the story telling songs that really appeal are those that dive deep into some sort of pain or anguish. I love that connection you feel to the music either through sympathy for the artist or an empathy, having had similar experiences yourself. What I also love is songs that shed light on a perspective that maybe we hadn’t previously considered. Justin Bieber’s ‘Lonely’ received high praise from myself (I’m sure JB is over the moon with that) for telling his side of the story and detailing that whilst many of us saw a spoiled rich kid we didn’t stop to consider the challenges he was facing.
Some of you reading may also know that I’m a big fan of Quadeca, the rapper who made his name on YouTube. Having reviewed his artistic and powerful ‘From Me to You’ last year and shedding praise on it (I’m sure Quadeca is just as excited as Bieber was) I thought it would be good to go back and review one of the songs that made me so interested in the artist in the first place. Yes that’s right, I’m writing a review on something that was released three years ago. Some would say late to the party – but really I just wanted to switch it up; so instead of reading my ramblings on the latest new album from someone or other and concluding ‘it wasn’t bad but could have been better’ as I tend to - you’ll be reading me rambling about something that I already know I love – but I’ll be telling you more about why. Now – you’ll realise more about why later but if you haven’t already then go and listen to the song! This is sort of a spoiler alert warning, if that does apply to music. If you read this and then listen it would be a bit like reading the plot of ‘Fight Club’ then watching the film – the experience is so much different if you already know what happens! From the moment you press play on this song it is driving home a message. Opening up with a tuneful piano intro that is quickly topped with a gospel choir. I’ve always loved hearing gospel choirs in music, there’s just something about the sound that adds a texture and a feeling that is yet to be emulated by anything else. A key example would be Stormzy’s ‘Blinded By Your Grace Part 2’ – an amazing song but for me wouldn’t be half of what it is without the beautiful sounds of the gospel choir. Although in this song they don’t play as large a part as in Stormzy’s they still add such a beautiful sound to even this intro. It’s the lyrics too – ‘everybody loves a winner’ – without much impact at this stage but almost a foreboding hint as to the subject matter of the song. I also love how the snare is introduced underneath. When I first listened, I wasn’t a huge fan mainly thinking that it sounded out of place but now I’ve come to realise that’s almost the point. I think it helps to connect the sample used at the start with the rest of the song as when the verse comes in we lose the choir and the piano but the snare remains constant, sewing it all together as one. After Quadeca lets us enjoy the intro for twenty or so seconds we are thrown straight into the chorus. For me the chorus in itself is unbelievably powerful despite only being a few lines. ‘I swear, they only love me when I'm not there I know you trust me, but I don't care I swear that I don't care I know you love me, but I don't care’ What stands out is the repetition of ‘I don’t care’ and particularly when the ‘I swear’ gets thrown in front of it. This is also what makes opening up with the chorus so intelligent. The thing is, and what the title and first chorus don’t really say, is that he really does care. You’ll only realise this when you listen to the rest of the song. This is why I dropped the spoiler warning in. If you still haven’t listened yet – go do it! If you hadn’t heard the song before you would assume from this chorus that the message is genuinely ‘I don’t care’ – that the song is Quadeca maybe sticking a finger up to the haters or something like that. When you listen to it back you realise that what it actually represents is Quadeca attempting to convince himself. This is where the repetition and the ‘I swear’ come into it – because you can picture him almost pleading to himself hoping that if he just says it enough and with conviction then he genuinely won’t care, and that it won’t hurt anymore. Continuing the theme of impactful lyrics – the first verse is such an open and honest reflection of how Quadeca feels about his career, and that ultimately, he isn’t happy. The way the verse is written pairs the good and the bad together, and in a similar way to Bieber’s ‘Lonely’ makes us realise that someone who appears to be doing well isn’t always doing well. This verse feels somewhat like a coming of age, it is Quadeca realising that success isn’t what he thought it would be. Speaking about his passionate fans but also suggesting he doesn’t have the time to engage as well as feeling numb when he looks at his ‘numbers’ (suggesting streams/views and potentially money); it’s the harsh reality for him that actually he’s sort of got everything he wanted but it’s nothing like he imagined it to be. The second line is simultaneously very serious but somewhat comical; ‘Mom wanted me to be a doctor, But I came out as a patient’, ironically suggesting how far apart his dreams are from his reality. The final line is the verse is equally profound; ‘I wonder why I feel so little 'Cause I ain't been on the top, I think I'm somewhere in the middle’. This is probably one of my favourite lines in the whole song, mostly because it’s something you don’t usually see. Usually, you hear rappers bragging about being the biggest, coming out with an arrogance and a swagger that gives an energy to their music. Alluding to the classic ‘heavy is the head that wears the crown’ phrase here Quadeca is suggesting that he doesn’t consider himself to be one of the best, but within that is questioning why he therefore feels all this pressure. The second verse opens up with Quadeca speaking more about the pressures of his career suggesting there’s a hole in his soul before dropping another profound, but once again simultaneously comical line: ‘I know this'll make 'em proud, but I know they gon' need another And another, and another, and another, and another Like I'm DJ Khaled with a motherfuckin' stutter’. What I love about this, apart from the DJ Khaled gag, is that it once again gives us an insight into how it feels to be an artist and that actually it isn’t all we would expect. It’s weird to digest because as fans we all obviously look forward to new releases from our favourite artists, we want new great music from them as much as possible, but the way Quadeca frames this almost gives me a tinge of guilt – should we always expect and demand more? And what does this do to the artists? I think this resonates throughout the years too as anyone who has seen the new ‘Elvis’ film will know, as this documents the story of how Elvis became one of the most sellable commodities in the world, and how his manager worked him essentially into an early grave. Whilst I’m not suggesting that we are all like Elvis’ infamous manager it does make you think about that side of things. The second verse is also what really brings us the ‘twist’ that makes the first parts of the song make more sense, particularly the chorus. The tragic story that Quadeca proceeds to tell is that he received a long message on social media from a profile without a picture, and thinking it was spam tried to delete it but accidentally opened it, and upon doing so decides to read it anyway. Quadeca then proceeds to paraphrase the message: "My homie was a huge fucking fan, used to play your shit every day He struggled with depression and he told me that the music was the thing that always set him straight But I guess it must of gotten too much for him, killed himself a couple months back, it's felt so fucking long But it reminded me of him when you popped up on my page and I went and started listening to a couple songs, so... Keep doing you, bro" Whilst already incredibly profound, the twist comes later in the verse when Quadeca goes to look at the profile of the fan who killed himself ‘But all the sudden, in the instant, everything felt grimmer, read the name again, and realized it sounded familiar Clicked the DM, to see if he had talked to me before, saw this was the same kid I consciously ignored a couple months ago’ As if not powerful enough already the song then finishes with a repeat of the chorus but this time with the gospel choir sort of underneath and interspersed. Honestly, I think this is genius. The revisiting of the chorus offers the listener a chance to hear it but with the new knowledge of what happens in the song; giving them that new perspective on the lyrics. This is then represented by the choir underneath the chorus; the lyrics stay the same but the choir makes it sound different; giving that feeling that whilst you are listening to the same thing it’s got a whole different spin on it now. It’s also genius because of what the choir is singing. ‘Everybody loves a winner’. It’s so profound – that contrast of the message from the gospel choir, probably representing what Quadeca had thought success would be like, underneath the pleading of Quadeca trying to convince himself that he doesn’t care in order to numb the pain of the weight on his shoulders. This song is honestly one of my all time favourites and offers such a powerful new perspective on what it is like to be in the limelight. We heard Bieber talking about how no one really knows him or what he’s going through, but Quadeca takes it a step further by underlining the pressure and the responsibility. The story is so sad, and I’m unsure whether it is true or not, but you could see how this would really affect someone. Quadeca is obviously blameless but you can understand why he blames himself. You would never expect him to reply to every fan’s message but the knowledge that he could have made a real difference to this fan’s life with one simple reply is undoubtedly something that would weigh heavy on his mind. That’s what makes this song so unbelievably memorable. I remember the first time I listened, and thinking that as well as being great to listen to I was so engaged in the lyrics. I was in the car at the time and I remember spending the rest of the journey just trying to put myself in his shoes and imagine how he would feel in that situation. I also love that the song is so ambiguous at the start but later reveals it’s true meaning, you start to wonder why he is so insistent he doesn’t care but then in the first verse details how tough he finds his situation before revealing all in the second verse. It’s not something I’ve seen very often but it gives this amazing scenario where the first and second time you listen to the song are entirely different – the first time giving you this moment of realisation and the second giving you a chance to listen back to the lyrics with a new perspective. This song is one of the key reasons why I do like Quadeca so much, he does things his own way. As a skilled lyricist it would be so easy for him to just make loads of commercial tunes with fast verses in but, as with ‘From Me To You’, he really puts everything into his art and that gives you this sense of connection with him every time you listen.  David DawsonKezia Gill's vocals are unlike any other. Her signature rasp, sensational power and unbelievable control make for a killer combination. Read her interview as she discusses her style, influences and writing processes. Hi Kezia! Thanks so much for talking to me today! Your most recent release was a cover of 90’s dance party classic ‘Cotton Eyed Joe’ featuring friend of the magazine and former interviewee Tim Prottey-Jones. You’ve put a new spin on the song; taking the iconic upbeat foot tapper and turning it into an amazing country blues tune. Why did you choose to cover this song in particular – and where did the idea for the bluesy spin come from?
I must confess, I can’t take any credit for the creative process. It was all Tim and his wonderful imagination!! He approached me with the project and asked if I would be interested in lending my vocals to the track. After one listen I was sold! I love anything dark and bluesy, so it was a great project to be part of. Your voice really stands out – it has an iconic rasp to it and the control you have to execute perfect bends and melismatic turns is staggering! For me talent like this that’s made to sound so effortless always brings up the nature vs nurture debate, so was this singing ability something you’ve just always had, something you’ve worked to get or maybe a combination being something that you have always had to an extent, but have had to work to perfect? I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. I come from a line of singers, so it was always in my blood, but there’s no doubt that honing your craft is hugely important. They say it takes 10,000 hours to become perfect at something, and I’d say I’ve probably done double that when it comes to singing!! I’m by no means saying I’m perfect, but years of singing means I’m comfortable in my own voice, and I know how to get the best out of it. In a similar tone, for some people being on stage and singing is a childhood dream that is harnessed at an early age, and for others isn’t something they realise they are interested in until later. Was this always the dream for you, or is it something you discovered a love for later on? I can say with some certainty that I always wanted to be a singer. My Dad was a singer, and my earliest memories are watching him perform and longing to be up there on stage with him. It was at the age of 5 that I made my debut, and I haven’t looked back since. I’ve never been interested in anything else. Music can be such a powerful and expressive tool, allowing us an outlet for emotions that sometimes we didn’t even know we had! Being a songwriter and a singer, do you often find yourself using your songs as an outlet, and do you find that this helps you and your mental health? Absolutely. I find song writing extremely therapeutic. I can write about my deepest darkest emotions, and packaged in the correct way (neither too personal nor to cryptic) they will hopefully mean something to the listener. It’s always been important that I write about things I’ve been through and emotions I understand. ‘All of Me’ is a fantastic song. I find it particularly interesting that the lyrics are those that you would maybe expect to hear in a gentle piano ballad, but seem even more powerful in the hard-hitting rock and blues style of this song. When writing this tune did the lyrics or the music come first, and what was the inspiration for pairing the two together in a way people maybe wouldn’t have expected? This was a rare exception where the lyrics and music came together. I thought the idea that all you can give might not be enough was truly heartbreaking. It provoked a raw and bluesy tune which paired with the lyric “All I can give you and All that I want to are two very different things” creates quite a powerful chorus. It’s sung with passion and heart because it comes from a place of desperation. A lot of your songs have an anthemic vibe to them, ‘Cotton Eyed Joe’ and ‘The Mess I Made’ being prime examples. Somehow you manage to generate atmospheric accompaniments whilst keeping the textures fairly thin, and the slower but very deliberate, driving tempos create this swell of intensity that sits perfectly underneath your powerful vocals. Although the words ‘style’ and ‘genre’ feel as if they are becoming less relevant in music – would you say that you have a particular style, and how would you describe it to someone who hadn’t heard your music before? I have always believed that you don’t just hear music… you feel it. The first thing I say to my producer when I’m making music is “I wanna feel the message”, If it’s sad, the music needs to hit me in the stomach, if it’s happy, the music needs to lift me up, and if I’m going for a banger, it needs to make me move!!! I’d like to say my style is raw unfiltered feels!!!! In fitting with style and genre I always find it interesting to learn who an artist’s inspirations are so that I can try and hear elements of it in their music. Who would you say your biggest inspirations have been? This question follows on great from the previous one. I’m inspired by artists that make me feel something. Patsy Cline taught me how to sing. You could hear her heart breaking in her ballads, and hear her strength and sass in her upbeat tunes. I also adore Elvis, Freddy Mercury and Tina Turner because they’re all raw, unpolished and phenomenal with it. They condone your attention because you believe what their telling you. It’s quite incredible to watch one person control 50,000 onlookers. I find that hugely inspiring. It’s currently a very busy time for you as you’re on tour! Can you tell us some more about any big plans you have in the next year or so? I actually can’t say much, but mark my words, BIG things are coming!! Finally, one thing we ask all of our interviewees is to name your top three songs that relate to mental health. What would be your top three? 1. Rainbow- Kacey Musgraves 2. Everybody Hurts- REM 3. I’m Here- Kezia Gill  Nashville's R&B-Country singer-songwriter is making love songs cool again. Maxim chats to Tiera about her unique sound, plans for new music and her obsession with the UK.Maxim MowerHey Tiera, thanks so much for taking the time out today! You recently dropped the studio version of ‘Found It In You’, which followed the hugely popular demo version as part of your self-titled 2021 EP. What inspired you to roll out the single in this way, involving listeners in your creative process of moving from demo to studio release - and which version is your favourite?
I released the demo version a couple of years ago, during the pandemic, and when I put it out originally I was independent and had a really small team. I didn't really know what would happen with it, I just wanted to put some music out there. We put it out and it just took off. I started getting calls from labels, and I ended up signing with Valory Music Co at Big Machine, and ‘Found It In You’ made sense as the first single. It was the first song I wrote that was 100% me and embodied my sound, which I like to call R&B-Country. We went back in with a label budget and re-recorded it. The new version feels bigger, more vibe-y and something I would hear on the radio, so I’m excited that we went back and redid it! It’s a really uplifting, happy song. Country sometimes leans towards the more mournful, tear-your-heart-out kind of songs, so it’s always refreshing to hear a genuinely joyful track such as ‘Found It In You’. It tells the real-life story of you and your partner, so I think happily coupled-up listeners will be able to see themselves in the story, while other listeners will be able to use it as a form of escapism. Do you personally prefer to use music more as a reflection of reality, or do you find it more therapeutic as a form of escapism? A lot of the songs I write are things I have gone through or am currently going through. For me, writing songs truly is therapy, especially when writing with your friends that know what you’re going through. Most of us are around the same age and we’ve had similar experiences, so it’s always really refreshing going into the studio and just talking for the first hour, before even thinking about writing a song. I definitely gear towards writing about my reality, and using songs to get through that. Your sound fuses a smooth, R&B feel with Country influences. Genre-fluidity is becoming more prominent in Country. What inspired you to move your music in this direction, and have you faced resistance to this from traditionalists? Honestly, it wasn’t a conscious decision. On ‘Found It In You’, my co-writer is also my producer, and we grew up listening to both R&B and Country. When we started writing together, it happened organically. You can hear that sound throughout my music, and it seems to be resonating with people. I’ve had fans coming up to me saying, ‘I don’t really listen to Country, but I love your music!’. I also hear from people that are more into that traditional sound, but they still enjoy my music. I listen to a lot of Dolly and Lee Ann Womack, and when I sing I have that classic Country sound. I feel like it’s a mixture of all the best aspects of Country and the best aspects of R&B. I’m a big fan of your Apple Music show, which has been a huge success. What has this experience been like, and did you know that radio-hosting would be such a strength of yours before taking the role? Apple Music came to me and asked me about it during the pandemic, and I’d never really thought about it before. But it really has been a lot of fun, and it’s made me a better artist. I used to be really bad at talking - at shows I’d just want to sing, I wouldn’t want to tell stories in-between songs. So I think it’s made my performances stronger, and it’s fun because I get to not only play my music on the show, but I get to play my friends’ music who may not yet have record deals. I was in that spot for a long time, and to be able to give my friends and other artists a platform has been a really cool experience. I love your cover of Halsey’s ‘Be Kind’, which paints with a different palette to the love-story of ‘Found It In You’. It laments the attitude of a partner towards the main character in the song, and the hook is irresistible. Do you have a debut album in the works, and if so, will these earlier tracks make it onto this project? That song was really fun, I did that during the pandemic too. It felt like a really appropriate time to cover this song because of what was going on in the world, and I really enjoyed putting my spin on it. I’ll be putting out an EP with five songs on it soon, but we are gearing up towards a…’project’! It will have a lot of new music on it, including ‘Found It In You’, and a couple of songs I’ve been playing out to fans. They’ve been very vocal about wanting those being released! A 'project' - sounds mysterious! I spoke to Breland for the previous Mindful Melody issue, and he’s featured on your song, ‘Miles’, which again embodies the laid-back, peaceful atmosphere that you bring into your music. The feel of the whole song seems to be perfectly summed up in the opening lyrics, ‘You’re like a slow lane Sunday’. ‘Laid-Back’ is similarly serene. Is it a conscious decision to make your music relaxing and soothing to the listener, or does this flow naturally out of your creative process? I think that’s the R&B part coming out. When I listen to music, I want to feel uplifted. If I’m having a bad day, I want it to lift me up out of the rut, or if I’m having a great day, I want it to pump me up even more. So, when I get in the room with my friends, the first thing I say is, “We're not writing sad songs today! We’re writing something fun.” I think that’s what people are craving, and it’s great getting to play them and watch people dance along. ‘Miles’ in particular is an easy song to catch onto, so I’ll see people that have never heard it before singing along by the end of the last chorus. I want to make sure my music has a good vibe all around. On the new project, will there be any sad songs that still feel good, and that maybe have a sense of peaceful melancholy? Yeah, that’s definitely my vibe! If I am going to write something slower, I still want it to feel good. I have an unreleased song called ‘I’d Look Good In That Truck’, and it’s one of the only slow songs I have on the upcoming EP. I think it’s great to have a variety, so you’re definitely going to go on a journey with my projects. I’ve been writing a lot, so I’m excited to put out as much new music as I can. You’ve been named as one of CMT’s Next Women of Country. This must be incredibly exciting, but as you prepare to release new music, does the fact that the industry’s and fans’ eyes are expectantly on you add a sense of pressure? Or does it just add fuel to the creative fire? It definitely just motivates me. When you’re doing this, it can feel like you’re doing it all in the shadows, because you’re just working on music behind the scenes and when you haven't released it yet it’s hard to gauge how it’ll be received. We all have our ups and downs in our careers, so when you do have a successful song, it’s so motivating because it lets you know that somebody’s watching, somebody’s rooting for me. It doesn’t add pressure, it just makes me excited for what’s to come. Speaking of you being one of the exciting new female voices in Country, a genre that has a track record of giving male voices more prominence, we are thankfully seeing progress in terms of the elevation of under-represented voices in Country. As someone within the industry at the moment, have you seen noticeable change, or does it still feel as though there is a long way to go? I’m out on a radio tour right now, and I’ve been out for five or six weeks, and I definitely think that things are turning around. The reaction has been really positive and everybody’s being really supportive. Just looking at the charts and seeing plenty of women in Country music, it makes me so happy. We always say that when one of us wins, the rest of us win too. I definitely think we’re making progress. Earlier this year you performed over in the UK for the first time, as part of the awesome C2C Festival. What was that experience like, and do you have plans to come back to the UK to perform anytime soon? Oh my gosh, as soon as I left I was already trying to get back! I loved being over in the UK, it was so much fun. Those shows were unlike anything I’d ever played. For some of the shows I play over in the US, there will be a few people talking and not really listening, but I didn’t really experience that over in the UK. As a songwriter and as an artist, I’ve noticed how fans in the UK take the time to really lock into the stories we’re telling and the songs we’re singing. It means a lot. I also have a bit of an obsession with London. I hope this is not insulting, but I have this habit of talking in a British accent! When I was over there, I did it a lot, and my UK reps say it’s pretty good…so I’m excited to get back over so that I can utilize it! Tiera Kennedy's latest single, 'Found It In You' is out now - and keep an eye out for her upcoming EP! |
