This is actually one of my favorite songs that I’ve written. I had been living in Gold Coast, Australia for two months and every single day of those two months it rained. I tried to capture the mood of a rainy day in this song with some muddy and melancholy chords. When I wrote the lyrics my initial idea was for a sad song…feeling blue, missing someone, ect. But the more I thought about rainy days, the more I realized that they didn’t have to be sad, and that, in fact, they can be very relaxing and enjoyable. A friend of mine in Gold Coast named Dave Eller (who happens to be a fantastic musician) helped to get the lyrics of this song going. We chatted about what we like to do when it rains; coffee shops, reading, pondering, talking and writing music with friends, and Dave said, “Can’t think of any other place I’d rather be.” To me, this line is what this song is about; remembering that no matter where we are, or what the weather, to enjoy every single moment that is given to us!

“Sleep Tonight” is about inner demons. Things that we struggle with in our daily lives that keep us from truly being who and what we want to be in the world. So many times I find myself getting hung up on the same fears in my life that hinder me from growing. These fears can affect everything and especially our relationships. I wanted to write a song about this baggage that we all carry around. Like the song says, “maybe baby if you take my hand, together we can find the promise land.” The people closest to me in my life, whether they are friends, family members, or partners, have helped me let go of the baggage I sometimes lug around, and uproot the demons that have made beds in my heart. I hope that anyone who listens to this song will find a way to uproot his or her demons and get some sleep.

As with the majority of my songs, “Fly” began with the music first. It was a sad song, but also hopeful and uplifting and I wanted the lyrics to reflect this also. When I did sit down to write the lyrics they seemed to just pour from my subconscious. The song begins on a hopeful note about my personal belief in always being optimistic and looking for the best in everyone. However, as I have gotten older, I have begun to realize that people don’t always have good intentions, that dreams don’t always come true, and that the world can beat you down if you let it. It can be a daily battle to persevere, to hold onto your faith, and to continue loving yourself. In times like this I believe that we all feel we would like to fly away. In my case, I had been feeling frustrated about the direction my life was taking. I wasn’t where I wanted to be, my career wasn’t where I had hoped it would be at 24 and I was feeling more and more discouraged. Writing “Fly” was very therapeutic and helped me to understand the feelings that I was struggling with. I reminded myself to continue persevering, praying, and believing in myself. Two months after I had finished “Fly”, I literally flew away to Australia and everything began to fall into place. I met an amazing producer in Sydney and made so many new friends that have helped me immensely in my journey. I’m extremely grateful to my family and friends who have always reminded me to NEVER give up on my dreams.

I wrote one more day about a month after one of my deepest and most serious relationships ended. I believe that anyone whose heart has been broken will understand this song. It is about second guessing decisions, inner turmoil, and wishing that you could risk everything in your life for one more day with the one you love.