A Classic Release from Missy Balsam
- BuzzSlayers
- Jul 11, 2025
- 7 min read
Missy Balsam returns once again with a fresh new track, and this time she's reaching into some of her biggest pop influences to create something that feels nostalgic but has a refreshing approach with gorgeous production that is both driving and colorful at the same time.
"Embrace The Day" is a bit of a spirited track. It has a certain kind of uplifted underbelly to it and I enjoyed that because to me, the song felt like something about not wasting your time and just going out there, doing your thing, taking advantage of the time you have right now, and just, as the title says, embracing the day.
You're here, you're alive, get out there and do your thing. Do it all to the fullest that you want to, so that you can know you lived. No time to waste because the time is now.
At least, these are the vibes I got from it. Either way it does come through with a bit of a powerful tone and approach that is very vibrant and that energy is something that becomes infectious right from the start.
Now, we're not strangers to Missy and her music. She has delivered an array of different approaches in the past, and with such diversity in her songwriting and influence, both musically and spiritually, I am personally super happy to hear her come back to her roots with such cinematic pop banger.
That's what I consider this. To me, this is sort of a cinematic single. It has that edge to it that you remember from '80s and '90s songs that started to bring in some of that darker tone into pop music back in the day.
I absolutely love how she was able to capture this aesthetic so well that it did indeed give me bouts of nostalgia the entire time.
This is an artist who pays attention to the final product. The shape of the sounds, the textures they give off, the tones that they deliver, and most importantly, being able to create a song that feels almost like a love letter to the stuff she grew up listening to.
This track has a robust chorus with layers of gorgeous harmonies that feel thick and full-bodied with a slightly anthemic feel. These are the kinds of things that make it addictive to listen to.
The record was created with producer Tim McGeary, and they certainly worked together in terms of constructing something that built a very particular kind of atmosphere and also let Missy be free to get in her zone.
I think artists like her feel the music. So, for her to be in the right place and deliver the vocals that she wants to, the song should be created as close to what she had in her head in the first place as possible.
Part of this is the choice of synth sounds and tones, especially. Utilizing the right synthesizers so that you can sort of recreate that 80's aesthetic is important here, and they both obviously paid a lot of attention to things like that to create it.
These are also the reasons that aesthetic is spot on and Missy falls right into place, delivering the kind of character that she wanted to vocally, so that it fits the pace and feel of this track.
It beckons that vintage '80s and early '90s soundscape, and does it so well that I'm sure she had a blast tracking vocals to this.
They are excited, big, and certainly colorful, but also, again, they boast that little bit of edge. A lot of this comes from the progression of the track as well. The progression has a little bit of that dark side, especially in those vocal melodies.
You can tell Missy was drawing from those classic artists and was able to pinpoint the kind of melodic structure she wanted, enough so that she could stick to her guns in terms of keeping to that classic pop vibe.
This was very well woven and put together with a lot of emphasis on having some great hooks but also delivering something that had a message, which is not new for Missy, and having these hooks both vocally and musically that stick with you after the song is over.
If you listen to some of her back catalog, again, you're going to hear some eclectic stuff, but some of that stuff is based on that '80s pop soundscape.
A slew of influences is coming to play with songs like this one and some of the rest of her catalog, so with this release, we had to find out more.
I wanted to know where this track came from and how it was put together, so we had an interview with Missy.
Here's how that went.
Buzz Slayers: Let's talk about "Embrace The Day!" This song has a spirited approach and this amazingly 80's pop tonality!! Where did this track come from?
Tim and I are both big time lovers of 80s music. Tim was in a band called The Rescue in the 80s on A & M Records and opened for bands like Roxy Music, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and The Cure, which are pretty much all my favorite bands! I grew up listening to this stuff and it's still my favorite music to listen to today. So we both naturally gravitate towards those sounds in creating our music together.
Buzz Slayers: I'm hearing a few different styles to this song! Who would you say are your big influences for this particular track?
Depeche Mode and Joy Division, New Order, Berlin...Tim brings all of these electronic new wave sounds into the tracks he creates for us, because he knows that I feel an especially deep connection to that type of music.
Buzz Slayers: The production came out amazing! Who worked on the mix and master for this?
Tim produced the track and came up with all of the incredible sounds. He did the first few rounds of mixing, up to about 85%, then we sent it off to our friend Ray Nesbit who is just an incredible musician and producer, and he did the final mixing and mastering at his studio here in Naples, Florida.
Buzz Slayers: We know you write and perform several styles of music. Are songs like this fun for you to finally track?
Yes, as you know I started off my songwriting and performing career as a kirtan artist and concentrated on that genre for many years, the pinnacle being the creation of my album "Revealed" that came out in 2016. And the last single that Tim and I released before this new one, "Aham Prema (I Am Divine Love)," was also a kirtan chant. But "Embrace The Day" brings us back to the 80s pop style that we both adore. I absolutely love working with Tim and co-creating these amazing songs together. We have such a symbiotic, effortless connection in the way we write, and it just comes out so easily and flows naturally. He comes up with tracks that bring out deep feelings in me, which naturally translate into personal and meaningful lyrics that meld with the track seamlessly. Even with the 80s style, my lyrics still have a spiritual message in them and express aspects of my personal journey. I feel so blessed that working with Tim allows me to express a whole new side of myself in my music.
Buzz Slayers: How does it feel when you get that final mix back? Did the song come to fruition as you expected?
Oh, definitely! Even better than we anticipated. This is the first track that we sent out to Ray Nesbit for final mastering to bring it to that next level, to take it to "eleven" to quote my favorite movie "This Is Spinal Tap" haha.
Buzz Slayers: Are you performing live right now?
From time to time I'm doing gigs as the lead singer of an 80s cover band which is so much fun, and I'd love to do it more regularly! Performing is one of my great loves, and being able to perform my new original songs in front of an audience would just be the icing on the cake. That's my vision.
Buzz Slayers: Now that this is out, what's next for you?
Tim and I are concentrating on promoting "Embrace The Day" and getting it out there. Tim has already gotten us some radio play on various stations here and in Europe pre-release which is awesome. We have another almost completed song too that we will be getting ready to put out, probably in the fall.
Buzz Slayers: Let's get an update on who is in your headphones right now! Who's on the playlists these days?
Well my go-to is still, as always, Depeche Mode. Duran Duran put out a dance album last year called "Danse Macabre" which is so, so good and I've been listening to that a lot. Tears for Fears' album "The Tipping Point" is on repeat. It's brilliant. I'm also loving Lady Gaga's new album "Mayhem."
Buzz Slayers: What would you tell people they can expect on this release?
This song has a really empowering message about knowing that we can lift ourselves out of a dark period. To share some of my lyrics...Night flows into day, and dark flows into light. The light is always coming around, so embrace the day and just feel gratitude for being in the moment. A lot of people I know are very stressed and overwhelmed by the world right now, so I hope this song brings an uplifting message of hope, delivered in a very danceable and upbeat sound!
Buzz Slayers: Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music?
Music has the power to heal and can be very cathartic. I know it has certainly done this for me in my life, and Tim has shared this with me many times as well. In dark times, music lifts us up and makes us feel better. I hope my music has this effect on anyone who listens to it.
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