By Jaci Jedrych
Shayla McDaniel’s latest release is a bright, sweet track, called “Depend On.”
McDaniel is a lifelong musician, but it took the Knoxville-based artist a while to get up on stage; it was only after encouragement from a friend that she began her performance career. She released her debut single in 2016; her debut EP in 2017; and a follow-up EP in 2019. Her influences include the band Joseph, Lianne La Havas, Andraé Crouch, and Deep Sea Diver, among others.
“Depend On” is a retro soul song with a modern twist that elicits a cool head nod with a groovy vibe that’s perfect for cooking dinner, cleaning the house, or just hanging out.
“It’s about longing for someone to depend on in a relationship, romantically, in business, or a friendship, after being hurt by someone you trust,” said McDaniel. “I was in a jam when someone bailed on me. I was thinking in the shower and trying to figure out what to do.”
“I said to myself, ‘I want someone I can depend on, like the kick on the one’s and three’s.’ Then I was like, ‘Dang! This needs to be a song.’ I just sang the lines to see what melody came out, and it stuck.”
Fans of Alabama Shakes, Emily King, Lianne La Havas, John Legend, or Prince should check out this track. Follow our Alchemical Weekly Spotify Playlist for more great music featured on the site.
Jaci Jedrych is a World Politics student at The Catholic University in Washington, D.C. She loves going to concerts and exploring different genres, and has a passion for arts and news writing.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
