The latest single release from Nora Tirrell showcases her ability to write songs that not only spark something in the listener but come from someplace that needs to be spoken out directly from within the artist herself and this does an outstanding job of setting an example for others to follow because not only does she speak from the heart quite often in her songs, but she's able to articulate that into something that you immediately relate to and shapes it into something that's catchy and has a pop-oriented tone as well.
Being able to capture something like that is not easy whatsoever but I think for Nora this is just how she writes music so it comes completely naturally for her meanwhile the listener gets an impactful song that they understand on many different levels most of the time.
The new track is called "Proved Me Wrong" and she sticks with her staple persona and contemporary vibe for the track which is how she's beginning to pay for way into the pop arena by doing things that make sense to her.
She writes music from the heart and lets her emotions drive songs so that they hit people the right way.
Again, I think that Nora is writing for herself so that she can get things off of her chest but it's just the way that she delivers it in such a way that anyone can latch onto it and gain from it.
Her songs make sense because she's just speaking honestly and that makes everything so incredibly authentic and speaks a lot for her as an artist and as a person in general.
This track is beautifully performed and that dynamic balance between the pop undertone and the character given on the track is always walking a perfect line as is the mix of the song and how it is arranged to not just grab your attention but keep it.
All of this is something that someone thinks about when they're writing a song that's meant to be a single but again, I think this is just normal for her.
I'm sure she does think about certain aspects when it comes to writing a good pop song because she does an excellent job at it, but I think she's doing this to do it because it's a passion project and it feels good for her to do it and I think that this is a major part of why the songs come out so well.
We're no strangers to Nora Tirrell and to be able to sort of watch her evolve musically song by song, has been awesome so far.
With the release of this new single, we wanted to have a chat with her about where this one came from and what it was like for her to create the song.
Here's what happened.
Buzz Slayers: Welcome back Nora! This new single "Proved Me Wrong" was quite heartwarming and very genuine! Can you tell us what the song is about from your words?
Thank you so much! This song is basically about being in a cycle of bad relationships, bad dates, things just generally not going well in the world of love. So, my co-writers and I decided to write about finally finding the one who proves you wrong about never being able to find "the one." I pulled a lot of inspiration from my own life, and my now fiance, in terms of contributing ideas for the song. We really wanted to write something upbeat and fun that people can relate to.
Buzz Slayers: Do you find writing songs like this cathartic for you? Being able to let out such emotion like that?
Absolutely! Every song I've ever written has been cathartic and I think that's a big part of why I'm an artist. Writing is my medicine, my release, my therapy - it's how I'm able to fully express myself and it can also help me process emotions in times of stress or grief, etc. "Proved Me Wrong" is definitely emotional, but in a more positive way than most songs I've written. People always say I write such sad songs, which is also really cathartic, to get sadness and anger out of your head and onto paper. But this was cathartic in a different way - I think the song has such a joyous message and my co-writers and I really felt a lot of joy writing and arranging it which was so much fun.
Buzz Slayers: This was beautifully performed. What are you performing aside from vocals?
Thank you so much! Aside from singing, I'm also playing piano. But I can't take all the credit for the instrumentation. I had some wonderful people playing on this song as well. My fiance, Dan, is playing electric guitar and he came up with some great lines. Adam Discipio, a dear friend from college and an absolutely fantastic musician, is playing bass. Seth Huff, the producer, also played drums which really brought the song to life. So it took a village to make this one come to life and I'm so thankful for the people who played on it!
Buzz Slayers: Do you write your songs with lyrics first or do the melodies or chords come first? How do you do your thing?
I love this question because I never have the same answer for it! It honestly depends. Sometimes, I may have a chord progression I'm digging and I'll try to roll with it and see if I come up with something I like. But most times, the words or the concept of the song come first. I'm a very emotional writer, so oftentimes, the lyrics will be what I refer to as "word vomit" where you sort of get everything out on paper first and then start analyzing and editing - maybe taking out some filler words or editing certain phrases, coming up with rhyme schemes, things like that. I will say the art of crafting a song takes practice and for me, I used to have times where I could sit down and write a song in one afternoon, start to finish. But now I find that I'll often go back and edit my lyrics more before finalizing my song. Songwriting is definitely a muscle that you have to keep flexing and working on in order to keep your skills sharp. Now that we're heading towards winter, the colder months will be my sort of hibernation, where I'm not going out as much, I'm really embracing the introvert in me and I'll be writing and crafting more for sure.
Buzz Slayers: I feel like your songs come out pretty close to whatever vision you have in your head for it. Is that right?
They usually do, yes. In terms of most songs, I usually have a pretty clear vision of what I want the song to sound like once I start writing it. But sometimes, the songs do end up sounding different in the end than what I had initially pictured. For instance, my song "If Only I Knew", that I put out back in 2021, started as a pretty slow, soft ballad but once we got into the studio, my producer took on a whole other vision and I ended up loving it, even though I never would have pictured the song sounding like that. So it really just depends on the song!
Buzz Slayers: What would you say is your favorite part about what you do?
My favorite part about what I do is connecting with others. I really love people and I think that now more than ever, people need a way to come together and unite and forget about all the ways the world is trying to separate us and pin us against one another. Music is the most uniting force in the world and I think people forget sometimes that music is written and created by PEOPLE. It shouldn't be created by a machine - real people converting emotions into sound is what makes music so special. So that connection you can make with someone is really why I do this. I've had people come up to me at gigs before and say they really related to one of my originals, or if I play a cover, they'll come up and tell me if it's one of their favorite songs and that it brightened their day. Those things really make doing this worthwhile.
Buzz Slayers: Do you have other passions outside of music?
I love to read. Huge bookworm. I spend a lot of my free time reading, when I'm not writing in my studio obviously. I love a good, quiet night, curled up on my couch with something hot to drink and a good book. I think my love of reading and writing coincide with my love of songwriting - I really think it's all intertwined.
Buzz Slayers: Is it hard releasing a song so honest?
Yes, definitely! It's always nerve wracking to put out a song that's so personal and honest, but I've found through years of doing this that people respond best when you're being authentic and truthful with them. You can't BS your listeners because they'll see right through it. I think we all go through similar experiences and hardships in life and you have to be willing to be vulnerable when you're an artist. When my grandfather passed away, I put out a song called "Parts of You" that I wrote with my friend Kamryn Murphy and that was a really difficult song to write because it was painful to sort of relive all of these memories I have of my grandfather, who I was really close with. But the response I got after releasing that song absolutely blew me away. People found it relatable and healing to them and to me, that is what putting music out is all about - making meaningful connections with people.
Buzz Slayers: Do you go out and play any shows?
I do! I'm more picky nowadays about what shows I play but I play some rounds and I love to play hotels and breweries in Nashville. Those are always the most fun! There's also a great local bagel shop called Crieve Hall Bagel in Nashville and I used to live really close to that area and so I'd play there almost every weekend. I live a little further away now but I'm really looking forward to playing there again soon because I love it so much - I have friends from college who work there and the customers are always so wonderful.
Buzz Slayers: How long did it take you to put this single together?
It took a few months for this whole process to unfold. We started writing this song in February and it came out in September. So it was a long process for sure but it's hard when you've got multiple people and different schedules working on a song. But we took our time and really made the song exactly how we wanted it.
Buzz Slayers: Anything coming up after this?
I'm hoping to write some more songs before the end of this year, but there probably won't be any new music released until 2024. I recently got engaged so I've been soaking that in but neglecting my writing a little. But like I said previously, I feel like I'm about to enter my winter/creative/hibernation phase so I'm really hoping to come up with some great music to release in 2024! And in the meantime, I'm playing plenty of shows around Nashville and you can find all of my gigs on my website, noratirrellmusic.com!
Buzz Slayers: Is there anything you'd want to say to fans of your music?
I appreciate you more than you know. The fact that people listen to my music still blows my mind and is honestly a dream come true. I think of the little girl who used to plunk out notes on the piano and make up silly little rhymes, and she would be so proud of how far I've come. I may not have fully achieved my dream of becoming a full-time musician yet, but having fans that listen and share my music means the absolute world to me, and I just hope to continue to connect with people through my music! So, I would just like to say thank you, a million times over.
Comments