Daisy Abrams Debuts "Stay Open"
I think one of the greatest things about music is its ability to transform a person. What's even cooler is being able to see that transformation take place. When a friend with the most talent and potential you've ever seen in a young musician finally releases their work to the world, you can't help but feel proud. The excitement and determination that has surrounded Daisy Abrams for the last year has finally come to fruition in the form of her EP, "Stay Open."
I wanted to know as much as possible about what went into "Stay Open," and how a twenty year-old college student found the time and determination to produce something like this. But for Daisy, and anyone who knows her, it's always been obvious that music comes first.
Dylan Eddinger Photography
So, who is Daisy Abrams?
"I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, which of course has a lot to do with my pursuit of music. Growing up there, it is so much harder to doubt your dreams. I’m so so so grateful to come from a place like that. I really do believe that anyone can pursue their dreams, and it is only ourselves that gets in the way. I go to college in Philadelphia which was the greatest thing I could have ever done. I so appreciate the contrast of the two cities, and leaving LA only made me appreciate it more. I grew so much as a person. Living in Philadelphia has given me more inspiration for music, led me to incredible musicians to collaborate with, and just exposed me to a different kind of experience. Of course I love the music scene here as well. There seems to be an emphasis on collaboration and helping each other out that is just so refreshing. And wow, the concerts here are just the best. Really, nothing beats music here in Philly. It means the world to me that I got to record and release the EP here in Philadelphia. But I’m just figuring it out as I go along. I don’t really know anything at all, and these songs are just my attempt at trying to figure things out. Songwriting is how I discover myself and the world around me. It's also how I internalize my experiences. So these songs are definitely near and dear to my heart, and they have provided me with so much insight about my life. There is nothing left unsaid, that’s for sure, and I hope people can relate to these experiences because I truly feel they are universal. The importance of staying open to life is immeasurable, and these songs remind me to do so. I am so grateful to everyone who has listened to my EP thus far, and I am so happy that I can put a check mark next to this project. "
Dylan Eddinger Photography
How did you make this EP happen?
"I had plans to record this EP back in the summer of 2016. I had all these songs I had written and had completely lacked inspiration to write anything new, so I decided I had to make this happen. From then on, it was quite a struggle figuring out the songs I wanted to record and how I wanted them to be arranged. I literally bothered every family member and friend with way too many questions. That is definitely something I struggle with; I tend to neglect my own opinion and ask literally anyone else. But finally, I wrote the songs on paper and everything kind of fell into place in that moment. I knew what I was trying to say, and how I was going say it. The EP had a cohesive theme which I was so stoked about. The title was equally a struggle. I juggled so many different ideas, but I knew that I would know the title when I saw it, so none of those ideas were right. Then, I remembered the significance of the words “stay open,” and I knew that was going to be my title. "Stay Open" is a reminder to myself to be present in the moment and be open to everything life has to offer without getting to fixated on the things that aren’t completely going my way or aren’t meant to be. Before I even figured out the songs and the title, I knew what I wanted the cover to be. It is actually quite symbolic because I would walk that route to the park freshman year of college whenever I felt uneasy or upset. The park was a place to go to sort my feelings out, or just get away from the chaos for moment. In hindsight, everything fit together really perfectly and I’m so grateful for that. I recorded all the vocals, piano, and ukulele in October of 2016. All of that was recorded and mixed in one day. So that was definitely easier than I was anticipating. I had the GREATEST audio engineer. Matt Amadio at Milkboy Studio in Philadelphia was such a delight to work with. He knew what he was doing for sure and was just a super nice guy. You’re working with this person from morning til night so it really helped that he was so kind and patient. I was debating releasing the tracks as they were, but I felt that to be a little premature. I asked my close friends Lexi Sorrentino And John J. Fox to do production on the EP, and they transformed it into something that I never really thought possible. They made it magic, they really did. I feel so lucky to know them, they really pulled through for me that’s for sure. We communicated back and forth between LA and Philly, and whenever I was home for break I would do harmonies at John’s home studio and we would all work on the EP together. It was an amazing experience hearing how everything evolved into what it now is!"
What does your writing process look like?
"I really don’t have a formula for writing songs; they tend to kind of unfold in a variety of ways. Either I’m at the piano or messing around on the guitar/ukulele and I start playing something, then I start humming something, and then the words come. It is either a miraculous experience where it literally feels like the song wrote itself, or it takes a little more effort on my part. 'Inevitable' is one of favorite songs because as cliché and lame as it sounds, I just wrote some stuff in my notebook about how I was feeling, and later in the day I got to a piano and wrote a piano part. I loved how segmented this writing process felt and yet it came together as if it all happened at once. Elliott Smith is definitely my biggest inspiration. He wrote so honestly, and I love how his songs tell stories. There’s always a level of ambiguity yet it also makes perfect sense. Elliott is always in the back of my head when I contemplate songwriting. He had such an evolved way of looking at circumstances and approaching music."
Dylan Eddinger Photography
Where can we find you next?
"I’m playing Spring Fest this Saturday at Saint Joseph’s University at 2:40! I’m so excited to debut these songs live! I hope to play live shows in both Philly and Los Angeles, and of course to continue to write and record as life hands me more material."
"Stay Open" exceeds all expectations that I had before listening, and they were very high to begin with. Daisy's work is incredibly well-done, and the flow of these songs feels effortless, comforting, and, as she said it herself, lyrically 100% universal. She's talented. She's very talented, and it makes me happy to have been able to witness a part of her career firsthand. There's definitely more where "Stay Open" came from, and I can't wait to hear what's next.
You can find Daisy on Instagram, Twitter, and Soundcloud. Stream "Stay Open" here! And be sure to check out our album of photos from her EP photoshoot here.