What was the spark that inspired you to write “You’re My Girl”, and how did the song evolve from its first idea to the final track we hear today?
Well, I went through a very tough period in late 2020. I developed feelings for her, but she didn’t even respect me as a friend. I was in an incredibly dark place and after recovering from that I released my debut album about it. “You’re My Girl” was my attempt to write something that was hopeful and optimistic about my love life. I remember like it was yesterday, I was taking my dog for a walk near the river and a bassline popped in my head. I immediately sang the bassline and recorded it. Then as further production progressed and the lyrics were added, I was surprised how sexual some of the lyrics turned out, but I think it works perfectly because the final song is really all about being in love with someone on a very deep level, and I think you can’t be deep and emotionally invested without some sexual investment.
The song has such an uplifting, feel-good energy — was that a conscious goal from the start or something that naturally came out in the process?
I must be honest and say I just let the song come out naturally. Even though I made it very clear consciously that I didn’t want all the songs I have on my debut album to be depressing and sad, I never at my desk with a piano or guitar and say, “I need to write a song about this!”. It’s never worked for me, but I knew “You’re My Girl” was going to be a positive song because the bassline that just came to me was very upbeat, something you would expect from a song playing on the dance floor. I believe the track achieved that .
You’ve blended pop, modern rock, R&B, and soul in your sound — how do you find the balance between those influences without losing your own signature style?
I think it’s important to develop your own style and sound, but I think it’s almost impossible to create a style and sound that is unique to you. So many artists throughout the years have developed their own sound and style that I don’t think there is much room to bring something brand new without some level of inspiration from a previous artist. I think rock, pop, R&B and soul has so much in common it’s easy to blend those genres, but the key difference is how to approach the vocals for a song. Sometimes it’s difficult but I honestly never want things to be easy, I’ve always been someone who gets motivated and hungry to prove people wrong and not take the easy route. Overall, I try my best to not change the approach of a song drastically, so depending on if it fit more in the rock category than the pop category, I would approach the song according to its genre.
The track was born from a personal shift from darkness into hope — can you share more about that turning point and how it shaped your approach to songwriting?
Even though I was going through a very dark period in my life I did use that time to improve myself and learn to how to approach dating and future potential partners. So, after that dark depressing period I was very enthusiastic about getting back in the market. However, because my debut album was about my journey from falling in love, getting heartbroken and eventually moving on, I had to include a mix of songs that were upbeat and hopeful, but also depressing. Even though I don’t consciously write songs myself, I did have in the back of my mind that I wanted a mix of happy songs and sad songs to reflect the emotional rollercoaster I experienced during this phase in my life.
How has your experience as an independent, self-producing artist shaped your creative freedom and the way you connect with your audience?
I would have to say that its hard for me to describe it well because I have just recently started my career. Overall, it’s not easy at all. Even though you do get a lot of creative freedom and you’re able to produce your own songs, approach your marketing and promotion through channels chosen by you, the reality is when you’re a true independent artist you are responsible for doing everything. I am currently looking at management options to help me balance everything because it has been tough for me to manage everything independently. Record labels are something I’m looking at too, but the reality is no record label will take you on without some proof of an establish fanbase (small or large), so I think that will be something to come in the later future. However, it’s really refreshing to know that people connect with my music right now because of me, rather than some massively funded marketing campaign or press tour. I would love to do that too because it would help me with the growth of my fanbase but it’s not realistic when you’re all on your own.
The deluxe edition of HN will include bonus tracks and live recordings — what excites you most about revisiting and expanding on your debut album?
I’m really excited to expand the album because even though I am happy with the final product I know there is still so much more I can do to make my work even better. It’s also a great opportunity for me to re-do the marketing and promotion for my first album, including both the old and new tracks coming. It’s really a great feeling.
What was the most rewarding or surprising moment during the making of the deluxe album?
I think the most rewarding moment was releasing how much my songwriting has progressed since releasing the basic version of the album. I found it so shocking how quick my songwriting progressed and I’m very excited to share these new tracks I recorded with my fans. It’s exciting and nerve racking at the same time but I’m so happy with these new songs I have done.
Which of your musical influences do you feel had the biggest impact on “You’re My Girl”, and in what ways do they show up in the song?
I think the biggest influence for this song was George Michael. I say that because a lot of the arrangement and feel of this song reminds me of George’s song “Amazing”. It was incredible how much I could see and hear, I would even close my eyes and see the music video for George’s song. I am a big fan of his and I think the music and work he did is not around anymore, which is sad to be honest.
How do you want listeners to feel after hearing “You’re My Girl” for the first time?
I want them to feel hopeful, specifically for listeners who are single. I have been single all my life, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit there were times I just wanted someone to share my life with romantically. I just don’t want people to go through the dark phase I went through, because there will always be a situation where you have strong feelings for somebody and end up using you for their gain.
With more music and live performances on the way, what’s next for you in this new chapter of your career?
After the deluxe album it’s immediately onto the next album. I have already written all the songs for it and I’m very happy with how things have progressed. I truly believe because of social media and music distribution being widely acceptable you must produce work and content non-stop. It’s a tough pill to swallow but it’s just the way it is. If you think you can go from an unknown to a mainstream record label artist without giving 550%, you’re going to be hit with a massive reality check. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this journey of mine.
