The second single of 2021, Bay Bryan is really turning heads with “Let Go.” An indie folk sound, the song is groovy explores the subtleties of change. It is calming and whimsical and keeps you rooted in nature. Their style is characterized by stunning imagery, languid songwriting, and expertly created arrangements are sure to catch your attention.
Bay Bryan has a knack for exploring nostalgia, transition, existentialism & longing. The song could easily be featured in brown/yellow tinted, running through the meadows- type of videos. Almost cinematic in the way that it explores the process of leaving one’s current outgrown reality in order to move onto the next chapter calling them, Let Go is certainly introspective in nature. It begins with a groovy beat that is also accompanied by what sounds like a sustained flute sound that follows throughout the song. Bay Bryan displays their dynamic vocal range, which transforms from a whimsical happy indie vibe to a deep-rooted melancholy at the end of the song.
Bay Bryan, based in Manchester (UK) is originally from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, USA. Their music and vocal arrangements definitely feels rooted in folk music.
We had the chance to interview Bay Bryan, and here is what they had to say about their music:
1. Let Go was such a pleasure to listen to. Can you tell me what the thought process behind the song was?
I’m so glad to hear that! This song started out as a chord progression and a feeling –one of nostalgia and resolve; and then the lyrics slowly came in piece-by-piece until the puzzle was complete. To me it represents that moment when your heart (not just your head) is ready to move on to the next chapter…
2. I love the indie-folk-rock vibe that your music has. Is this something that you’ve always leaned towards? How has your music evolved since you first started?
I love that you get the rock vibe because I would never have thought my music had rock elements to it until people have mentioned it! I think it’s the instrument that inspires the sound for me –when I sit down to write with a guitar I often find myself in this indie-folk territory. In contrast, when I first started writing on the piano as a kid it always inspired me (still does) to write in a more soul/jazz/pop genre…
3. You’re now based in the UK, but I understand that you’re originally from the US. Do you think these vastly different spaces and countries affect your music in any way?
Yes indeed, and I love it here in the UK. I am originally from Colorado and this song (and upcoming album) are heavily inspired by that landscape –this meadow space in my mind looks very similar to the meadows of the Rocky Mountains where I grew up. However, musically speaking, this song and album probably bear more resemblance to English singer/songwriters like Laura Marling and Nick Drake.
4. Let Go reminded me of ABBA and also the song Que Sera. Let go, and Sticky Shadows seem to be continuations of one another. They are beautifully sung and have these nuggets of well-meaning advice about exploring and being rooted in oneself.
Do you also have this explorative rootedness with your music? How do you navigate these experiences and conceptualize it into a song?
That’s so cool –I love hearing what my music reminds people of and what meaning they take from my songs! To be honest I think the search for rootedness is a great way to describe why I write in the first place… I rarely write my own songs for fun –they tend to come from a place of unrest/frustration of some sort –the process of writing and the journey of the songs often start from this ungrounded feeling and then find their way to a resolution… Even though most of my writing process is quite tumultuous, when I finish a song I like it’s usually quite cathartic.
5.Your music has a very narrative feel to it. How did you come around to developing this storyteller-musical style? Who are your biggest musical influences?
I think, sort of hopping on what I said before, I write because I need to get from one feeling to another –and there tends to be an element of drama to it all. And as a singer/performer, I think I naturally gravitated to songs and music that had elements of that in them. Growing up I loved Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, Tupac, Celine Dion; There was also Disney music and musical theater –I think these heavily influenced my love of both performing and writing songs that have a narrative or journey to them. And then I also played classical piano and guitar music –so that’s probably influenced me in some way for sure.
6. You just released two singles. What do you see for yourself in the future?
Well, really glad you asked this! Sticky Shadows and Let Go are both songs from my upcoming concept album ‘The Meadow’ (releasing in 2022). The album takes place in a self-created fantasy setting (The Meadow) — an idle, comfortable, and safe space where one has escaped to and been in for a while now. The conflict is that we no longer belong in the meadow anymore –it’s time to move on to the next chapter calling us. The songs and the interludes explore the process of letting go of what we know (what is safe) in order to take the steps necessary to move beyond the meadow… My hope is that, similar to my songs, the album as a whole will take people on a journey –from one feeling to another –and especially if they are going through some sort of transition in their lives, that it will have a positive impact on their lives.
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