A fresh single release from MISY brings out a refreshing blend of old and new-school contemporary pop that breeds little hints of edginess and lots of color especially in the vocal performance giving the entire song a mass amount of character that keeps you right where it needs to.
"Keep Your Head Up" has such a wonderful message of positivity that it should be spread everywhere and is relatable and meaningful for almost all ages, races, and sexes.
This is a tract that talks about keeping your head up through struggles and things can be difficult in life but sometimes you need that someone to look at you and say hey, keep your head up, things will get better.
This is exactly what MISY does on this track, and she does it with a wonderful tastefulness and a passion for purebred pop music that comes through youthful but still has this maturity and soul in the songwriting.
One of my favorite things about this track is the way that it actually reminds me of a certain era of '90s pop music and how that sound is part of the influence of why the song happened because that aspect of the soundscape is completely nailed, and the aesthetic comes through like a powerhouse.
We all have to love a good pop song, especially one that comes with such brightness and warmth to it. I think it's important that we have songs that make us feel and think because we've been without these messages of positivity as of late and I think now is a great time to have them.
MISY is definitely an artist who does things as passion projects and wants to send these messages out to the world.
Her ability to drop singles that show different sides of her personality and songwriting is absolutely outstanding.
This track lets her presence shine and really just makes you want to dig into her back catalog which is one of the best things you can do especially if you like this single itself.
Having songs released since 2018 on Spotify, you will have a great time going through the evolution of her songwriting because it also shows how she grew as a person from then until now.
I love this sort of thing as well because it brings back the personal aspects of being an artist and how their actual fans want to follow things like that.
I feel like MISY is one of those artists that release music with fewer boundaries than those before her and in doing so she's able to capture her youth and her spirit within the songs.
With the release of such a well-woven single, we wanted to have a sit down with MISY to find out where this track actually came from and what might be coming up next for the artist.
Here's what happened.
Buzz Slayers: Okay, let's start with "Keep Your Head Up"! This track had such a colorful and bright tonality and a ton of character and soul! How did this release come about?
Thanks for those kind words! This is a song that was really challenging for me to write, and it took me quite a few months to get it right. I started writing it in 2021 when things just felt really crazy and pretty negative all around, and I felt that we needed more happy music that would comfort people. The first verse and chorus came to me pretty easy, but I had to keep going back to it to truly capture the meaning of the song - which is that no matter what happens, we can still find something to be happy about!
Buzz Slayers: How did this all start for you as an artist?
I've been an independent artist professionally for about 5 years now, but my journey started long before that. My early beginnings were in musical theatre at church, which led to dance classes and eventually turned into guitar, piano and singing lessons when I found my love for songwriting. I played local coffee shops and small venues through high school and ended up playing some of the bigger venues in LA like Whiskey A Go Go, the Viper Room, and the House of Blues as I got older. But I knew I wanted to move to Nashville when my guitar teacher told me that's where the songwriters live! Since I was about 14, my goal was to move here and be a songwriter. So I made the jump in 2017 and moving to Nashville has really expedited the artist process for me. My growth here has been incredible and I'm super excited for all the lessons I have yet to learn as an artist and a songwriter.
Buzz Slayers: What kind of things really inspire songs for you?
My inspiration comes from all sorts of things! Different experiences I've had are always good for songwriting material, along with the experiences of my close friends and family. Sometimes movies and TV shows spark inspiration or an idea, as well as books I'm reading. I'm a very observant person so I love to constantly be on the lookout for new material. I've had moments where a sign on the side of the road maybe sparked an idea, or something a friend said during a conversation. As a creative, I'm always staying open so inspiration can flow to me in various ways!
Buzz Slayers: This single has some great approaches to it! Can you give us some of your biggest influences musically?
For this single, my biggest influences were Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz. I feel like this song has that 2000's-beach pop vibe to it, which is exactly what I was going for. Growing up in Southern California near the beach, that style of music is a huge part of my younger years! So it was really fun to lean into that and take it in a direction I haven't really done before. But other influences for me include Taylor Swift (who inspired me to start playing guitar), Kacey Musgraves, John Mayer, and Sara Bareilles.
Buzz Slayers: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
When I'm not working on music I'm usually hanging out with my two black cats, Billie Jean and Doc Martin, and probably doing yoga or reading. I also like to go camping and hiking, anything outdoors really! Sometimes you can find me painting, gardening, or checking out the art shows around town. But most of my time involves something that has to do with music, whether it be doing demos or writing or catching a local show in Nashville. And I wouldn't have it any other way!
Buzz Slayers: Who's in your headphones right now?
Right now I've been listening to a lot of 60's and 70's songwriters like Carole King, James Taylor, Carly Simons, Joni Mitchell, and the Carpenters. Something about that era of music really speaks to my soul. And I just have such respect for the recording process of those days, and how raw and honest the artists were during that time. "I Feel The Earth Move" has been a reoccurring song at my house in the mornings lately! But I'm also really enjoying the new Olivia Rodrigo album. I think her lyrics are incredible and they create such cool imagery in my mind.
Buzz Slayers: Are you doing any live performances right now?
Yes! I play gigs regularly here in Nashville all over town. Every Monday I play at the new Hand Cut Chophouse downtown and every Friday I play at the Aloft Hotel in Franklin, just 30 minutes south of Nashville. I also play at other bars, hotels and local businesses like the W hotel, the Green Light Bar, Big Shakes Hot Chicken and Fish, and the Paddledog. I also regularly play private events and I'm available for hire for the upcoming holiday season!
Buzz Slayers: Do you record these at a big studio or do you have a home studio set-up?
So, I do have a home studio set-up, but this song was recorded in a studio down in Franklin with Tres Sasser and Joe Costa. Tres is an amazing producer who owns the studio, which he has named Tresland (which I love!). Joe was the studio and mixing engineer on this project, as well as being the one who programmed all those drum parts that really made the song shine. They are really fun guys and we had a blast in the studio that day. The vibes were so positive and I think it really translated into the song!
Buzz Slayers: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
In the near future, I'm planning to release another single which will also have an uplifting message. I don't want to say too much, but it's a song I'm hoping to get out for Thanksgiving. I'm in my happy music era and I'm thrilled to take my fans along for the ride! Next year, I actually have plans to shift more into the Christian music world as my spirituality grows, which I'm really looking forward to. I'm still going to be making pop music but I'm loving the idea of using my gifts for God. That is a whole new area of music that I'm excited to get into.
Buzz Slayers: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
I want to say I love you all so much! I don't see you as fans, I see you as friends. Friends who allow me to live my passion and help people through my songs. Every single one of you means so much to me and I can't thank you enough. I couldn't do it without you!
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