Michaela Slinger doesn’t want you to hold back when it comes pursuing your dreams in her latest single “Don’t Wait.”
Describing the song as a “sweeping, upbeat song with live strings and lots of background vocals,” “Don’t Wait” gives the listener a taste of her dreamy vocals and prolific songwriting that they’ll instantly fall in love with after hearing the track for the first time.
“Although it’s high tempo, the actual lyrical content of the song is both joyful and also tentative — it’s about questioning whether or not you can give someone everything they deserve in a relationship while you’re pursuing your own dreams,” she tells Celeb Secrets.
Celeb Secrets sits down (virtually) with Michaela to talk about her journey that led to her music career, who influences her as an artist, and plans for more music that’s slated to come out next year. Take a read at the full Q&A below and let us know if you’re loving “Don’t Wait” by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
You can also listen to the song’s acoustic version here and connect with Michaela on Instagram at @michaelaslinger.
Celeb Secrets: What first initially sparked an interest for you to pursue music professionally?
Michaela Slinger: “I was working a 9-5 office job right out of university. It was cool and exciting to have a learning curve (and a salary), but after the first several weeks I realized that I felt like a half-hearted version of myself. I’ve always been a musician and a creative person, and I could no longer ignore the fact that it was what I wanted to do.”
CS: Who are some artists that inspire your music?
MS: “There are so many. I love the expansiveness of Fleetwood Mac and energy of ABBA, the genre-bending pop of Maggie Rogers and Lorde, the intricate arrangements of HAIM, the power of Donna Missal, the ear-catching style of Anderson .Paak, the vividness of Tierra Whack. It changes on the daily.”
CS: Congrats on the release of your new single “Don’t Wait.” For people that haven’t heard it, what can they expect from it?
MS: “Thank you! I’m really proud of this track. I’ve had people say that the energy of the song gives them ABBA vibes, which I obviously take as a big compliment. It’s a sweeping, upbeat song with live strings and lots of background vocals. Although it’s high tempo, the actual lyrical content of the song is both joyful and also tentative—it’s about questioning whether or not you can give someone everything they deserve in a relationship while you’re pursuing your own dreams.”
CS: Can you talk to us about the creative process behind making it?
MS: “I wrote the initial idea on guitar at home in Vancouver the day before I went to Toronto for the first time for music. I ended up creating a full demo of the song there, just experimenting on Garageband. I love to self produce, even with the limited skill set that I have—ideas pop into my head, I try to execute them with the tools available and see how they sound.”
CS: Do you have a favorite memory from making “Don’t Wait?”
MS: “I got to bring five of my favorite people to 604 studios to record background vocals: my sister, two cousins, and two of my best friends. I brought snacks and we just hung out and recorded altogether in the live room.”
CS: We know that more music is coming very soon. Can you tell us what we can expect from it?
MS: “I’m so excited for the last few singles off of my debut record. Each one of them showcases a different side of my artistry. One is a wistful, dreamy yet powerful ballad-type, one has a flair of country-pop crossover, and one is the most triumphant, massive pop track I think I’ve made to date.”
CS: What do you hope listeners take away from your music?
MS: “I think my creation process and the music I make represents what I believe to be truths about living. No one really knows what we’re doing, but figuring it out can be fun if you don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s normal to embody different versions of yourself and to oscillate between joyful exhilaration and grief and contemplation.”
CS: What’s one career goal you’d like to achieve in the new year/once the pandemic is over?
MS: “I want to play my entire album front to back with a kickass band in as many cities as I can.”
CS: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, can you share a secret or fun fact about yourself that both our readers and your fans wouldn’t know about you?
MS: “I’m left-handed and left-footed in soccer!”
