Alt-pop artist Dela Kay has bared her soul with her new single, 'Anybody Else', a poignant ballad exploring the bittersweet landscape of lost love. Crafted in a Nashville studio last October, the song is a raw and honest reflection on a past relationship, capturing the lingering nostalgia and emotional fallout of heartbreak.
Dela Kay teamed up with Nick Cozine and Whitney Fenimore, the same collaborators behind her previous release, 'Remedy', to bring 'Anybody Else' to life. The creative spark ignited quickly. "As soon as the three of us got together, we knew we were going to write a ballad," Dela Kay explains. Still processing a painful breakup, she found herself immersed in memories, the atmosphere adding to the sense of nostalgia. The songwriting session became a journey down memory lane, revisiting the first date and contrasting those early feelings with the stark reality of the present.
The song's central hook, "any anybody else," came from Nick Cozine and immediately resonated with the group. "Whitney and I loved it and knew we wanted to keep it," Dela Kay recalls. With Cozine and Fenimore's folk and indie influences, the melodies flowed naturally. "Sometimes when you're speaking directly from the heart, things flow super easily, and they definitely did that day," she says. Adding to the song's authenticity, Dela Kay's original scratch vocal from the writing session was used in the final recording. "We loved it so much, we kept all of it—it’s the same vocal you hear in the final track!" she reveals.
'Anybody Else' has a cinematic quality, reminiscent of early 2000s romance films. Dela Kay playfully describes it as having "that ‘A Cinderella Story’ vibe." The arrangement mirrors this emotional arc, with stripped-back verses featuring acoustic instruments and strings, building to powerful choruses with driving drums and electric guitar. "We wanted the verses to feel bare... but then have the choruses come in strong... absolutely wrecking our hearts," she explains.
The song dives into the complexities of love and loss, offering both vulnerability and understanding. "The second verse acknowledges their past and offers reassurance that I’m strong enough to handle their pain," Dela Kay shares. While the songwriting process was emotionally challenging, she now finds peace in reflecting on the experience. "Even though the relationship didn’t work out, knowing my heart has the capacity to love that deeply—despite the pain—is something to be hopeful for in my future," she concludes.
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