Shaela Miller is expanding her sonic horizons with the percussive indie pop drive of her latest single, “Mourning Tonight.”
“Treasure is buried somewhere/ Somewhere far away from here,” sings Miller in the buzzy new track. The song is a heavy lyrical piece matched with an energetic melody and rhythm, creating an ironically complimentary song. The track’s layered synthesizer is an ode to 80s New Wave, mixed with twangy vocals and accentuating pedal steel, creating an unusually delightful amalgam.
The track’s vintage-feeling energy consistently grooves, and Miller’s country roots pop out vocally, making this song perfect a jam for a variety of dance scenes. “Love’s on the edge/ Love’s a fight/ How am I gonna sleep tonight,” she croons. She sings of a sleepless night we’ve all felt before, one that often follows a difficult loss.
“I was deep in the throes of grief after losing a dear friend of mine,” Miller says. “It’s about the volatile emotions we can feel as we navigate through complex feelings of grief and sorrow whilst juggling day-to-day tasks.”
A temporarily “retired” country songwriter, Miller mixes things up with a more indie pop musical takeover. Her upcoming album, After the Masquerade, is her head start into her new, exploratory direction. The project was produced by Graham Lessard and recorded at Studio Bell in Calgary’s National Music Center.
Miller’s successful boost of popularity in the Canadian country music world led her to have songs featured in HBO’s True Blood, and CBC’s Heartland, along with other notable feats and accomplishments. Her songwriting vulnerability and unique musical delivery offers a stirring movement in genre-crossover.
“Mourning Tonight” is an exciting direction into the new sound and style of Miller, and After the Masquerade surely promises more where this came from.
Note* Paul Howard contributed to this article.
