Every song I create begins with a story or a message: what do I want to say to the world?
Being present became an important concept for me several years ago. Having a neurodivergent brain means that I am typically either ruminating about past mistakes or dwelling on (and over-preparing for) what might happen tomorrow. I finally started to understand that the only time that matters is right now, so I began practising being more present and living in the moment.
For a few years, I made several attempts to get this message into a track, but I couldn’t find the right words to fully express it without sounding cheesy. I made a song called Live for the Moment in 2024, but never released it. It just didn’t capture the message.
In late 2025, I was reminiscing with some friends about those nights in a club or at a festival when you hear the build-up of a track you recognise. You feel the anticipation of the moment that is coming: the drop. The drop hits, and for a few seconds, the rest of the world disappears. I realised that the drop forces you into the present moment. You can’t think about yesterday or worry about tomorrow when you’re completely absorbed in what’s happening right now.
I quickly pulled out my phone and drafted some lyrics. On the drive home, I started recording myself humming a few melodies until I found one that would work. The concept was clear: I would create a song that not only carries the message but literally transports the listener into that state of presence.
When I get a creative idea with that kind of potential, the rush is exhilarating. I already have the finished track in my head; now it’s about reproducing what’s there, which can be a challenge.
As soon as I got home, I opened Ableton and began drafting the melody. I finished the lyrics and recorded myself singing the various components. I don’t tend to use samples in my tracks, and it can take me a few days to create a good first draft. Once the draft was done, it felt like it was so close to completion.
A record label was keen to sign my next track, and I had been in touch with them about this one. I told them that I would have the vocals recorded and the track ready to go within four weeks.
I spoke to my cousin, Rona, who provides the beautiful vocals on my music. We booked some studio time in Glasgow for early January. She travelled from Manchester to meet me there. I booked eight hours of studio time because I wanted to make the most of our time together, and I planned to record a few other tracks whilst we were there.
It turned into eight hours of stressful technical issues. Nothing worked the way it should have. The recordings weren’t quite right, microphones wouldn’t sync, and speakers refused to cooperate. We left the recording studio with very little to show for it. We were in such a rush by the end that I asked Rona to keep singing whilst I hit record, hoping we had captured something usable.
We then spent a few weeks going back and forth via email, exchanging vocal clips until we had what we needed. I got back in touch with the label to explain that there had been some delays and it would be a few more weeks before the track was ready.
I spent the next couple of weeks integrating the vocals and refining the instrumental. Then my laptop packed in. A repair shop told me they could fix it within a few days. A few days turned into a few frustrating weeks. Once again, I went back to the label and explained that there had been another delay.
By now, it was the end of February. My laptop couldn’t be repaired, so I had to search for a new one, an expense I could have done without. I finally got a replacement, set it up, opened Ableton, only to realise that the previous versions I had been working on had disappeared. I was back to square one. All that work, completely lost.
Frustratingly, I started again from the basic draft I still had, trying to remember where everything belonged and how the latest version sounded. At the end of March, I sent it to the label, who said they would pass it to their mastering engineer. Two weeks went by and I still hadn’t heard anything. The label eventually got back to me and explained that their mastering engineer couldn’t take it on, but they provided details of someone else who could.
By this point, because of all the delays, I hadn’t released any music for four months. I got the track mastered and sent it back to the label. They replied saying that they would look to release it in mid-to-late summer. After such a long period filled with delays and challenges, I decided I would release it independently instead.
In May 2026, I finally released Drop Me, which, ironically, was the least present I’ve ever been whilst creating music.
Having said that, it was a valuable learning experience and, of all the songs I’ve produced so far, this one is my favourite by far. 😊
