“Alright, right, right, right, right, right,“ Shayla McDaniel opens her latest single, appropriately named “Alright”. It’s both mantra and question, are you alright?
“I process my feelings through my songs,” McDaniel reveals. “I struggle with depression,” she continues, but that emboldens her to help others through her music. That clear vulnerability and authentic desire to reach out breaks free in “Alright” through moments of sparse harmony, spotlighting McDaniel’s warming vocals.
In these raw moments, she’s not afraid to show her own fear. “Why do I break down?” she asks, stretching out the question. Speaking about staying healthy, she gives a succinct answer: “My body is not a machine.”
That’s why “Alright” admonishes us to drink water, get enough sleep, and examine our own thoughts. Feeling good isn’t just mental or physical, it’s a balance between the two. Just as her music brings in bright pops from the guitar, her alto range grounds the melody—it’s in balance. And it’s through this balance McDaniel maintains her ability to divulge her truth.
“Sometimes, I start off feeling confused or neutral,” she said, “and I let the music take me to my truth.” Revel in the balance with her.
Stream “Alright” below.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
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