Interview: Mia Savannah on "Which Way to Go?": Turning Pain Into Art and Finding Clarity Through Songwriting

Which Way to Go? explores mental health and decision-making — what was the moment or experience that first inspired you to write this song?

I wrote this song when my mental health was at a very low point. Everything felt difficult during this time and songwriting was truly one of the only things I wanted to do. Songwriting for me is my emotional release and has truly helped me to get through some of my toughest times. I always feel better after I write a song about a situation/how I’m feeling, it sort of makes everything clearer to me and provides a sense of closure.

The lyrics are deeply personal and vulnerable. How do you balance sharing your own struggles while making sure your listeners can connect with the song?

To be honest, I don’t know if I do a great job at that. I just write what I feel. What I’ve realised through releasing my music though, is that a lot of people can relate to my struggles and have experienced the same or similar feelings. Through my writing, I have realised how common these experiences actually are and naturally people have connected to my music without me needing to consciously change my lyrics.

Sonically, the track has this gentle yet powerful indie-pop feel. Can you walk us through how you and your team built the soundscape around your vocals?

Yes, it started with just the piano riff that I wrote around my melody and lyrics, and that played throughout the whole song. Then I took that demo to Lee Jones, the producer and label owner of Galaxy Music, and he instantly liked it and had a vision for it. He did an incredible job producing it and truly created a masterpiece. We hired a cellist, which took the entire mood of the song to a whole new level of heart-wrenching. I like that the song opens with its original, raw format of just voice and piano. Then by the second verse the whole party is in with the cello, guitar, bass, and drums. I like that the piece has a steady build-up of textural dynamics but then also has its moment of minimalism post bridge. I think we did a great job at making it dynamically interesting. I’d also like to pay a special mention to the four-part harmonies in the bridge, it’s so difficult for me to not add harmonies to my songs, they feel incomplete in my brain without harmonies.

You’ve been open about themes like comparison and low self-worth in your music. How has writing about these topics helped you personally?

Writing about my feelings helps to get them off my chest and into the air. But also, like I mentioned before, through releasing my music I have realised that this is actually a very universal experience. It’s very common to compare yourself to others and struggle with self-worth, especially in your younger years while you’re still learning to love yourself. Growing up I have always been an open book, someone who wears my heart on my sleeve, and a chronic over-sharer. In fact, I would find it weird when the people around me weren’t quite as open about themselves and I would almost take it as an insult thinking they didn’t trust me. What I have learnt the past couple of years is that not everyone feels comfortable expressing their emotions and sharing personal things, and that is not a reflection on me. But through this, I have also realised that EVERYONE struggles and just because they don’t talk about it, doesn’t mean they don’t experience mental health struggles too. So back to your question, writing about these topics has helped me by understanding that I am not alone, and I am not as ‘strange’ and ‘different’ as I thought.

Your last single Ghost was a playful pop banger, while Which Way to Go? feels much more introspective. How do you decide which side of yourself to explore with each release?

Honestly, I took Ghost to Lee Jones at Galaxy Music not thinking much of it, but he loved it and saw what it could look like post-production. He has these insane creative visions of things and took the piece to a level I never knew was possible. All of my previous releases were mellow, solemn, indie-pop pieces so the playful, big-production, pop song is an area I had never touched before. But I think it was nice to change up my sound stylistically and do something different. People have reacted well to it which is nice.

When you listen back to Which Way to Go?, is there a particular lyric or moment in the track that still hits you the hardest?

Probably “I hear the rain fall in the morning, don’t wanna get up for another day”. That was a deep state of depression where I didn’t want to get out of bed because of how bad things were. So that was a scary place to be in. The whole song is pretty heart-wrenching though.

Many fans say your voice has a “velvety clarity” that really pulls them in. How do you approach vocal delivery to get such emotional impact?

For a song like this, I wanted a very close-to-the-mic, gentle vocal delivery, to go along with the vulnerable, raw nature of the lyrics. I kept my vocals super breathy to add to that mood as well. However, the breathiness pulls back at the bridge and the final chorus to create a louder dynamic and a stronger vocal tone. When recording, I get myself into the mental space that I was in while writing that song to really capture the emotion. I really think about each lyric that I’m singing and how it felt to experience that. I was also very conscious of where to have clear diction, so that the listener doesn’t miss the wording, and where it was okay to relax with it.

The song tackles universal feelings of being stuck or uncertain. What would you want someone who’s going through that to take away after listening?

That they are not alone, that it’s a very universal experience, and that they are not the only one struggling. That there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. That it’s okay to speak openly and vulnerably. And it’s okay to seek help. And that everyone moves at their own pace, regardless of age.

You’ve now released two singles this year. What’s next for you — will we see an EP, album, or perhaps some live shows on the horizon?

I’m releasing another single called ‘Merry-go-round’ very soon so that’s exciting! Early next year I will also be releasing my second EP. I have a live show coming up on November 9^th at The Retreat hotel in Brunswick, Melbourne. And a possible Halloween show is in the works too.

If Which Way to Go? could soundtrack a scene in a film, what would that scene look like?

Probably a scene of a character with depression or anxiety laying in their bed staring up at the wall. E.g. Marcus in Ginny and Georgia.

Or a scene of a character who has to make a big life decision and doesn’t know which way to turn. The song also works really well with someone walking to it – like a dramatic scene of a moody, angsty walk.

Links:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mia.savannah.music

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mia.savannah.music

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@mia.savannah.music

Website:

https://www.galaxy-music.net/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5IdbVbYDLNBjdOEWGaXRXV

YouTube: