Each Measure Feature: Followay

FEATURE

One of music’s greatest virtues is its ability to build bridges across time and space and speak to those who are hard to reach. Nowhere is the better exemplified than in FOLLOWAY’s debut single, “In My Mind,” which reflects on the pain and devotion of long-distance love.

The London-based artist wrote, arranged, and produced the track entirely by himself. And it comes from the heart. FOLLOWAY wrote the song based on his own experiences with long-distance love and the resilience it takes to. According to the artist, “We’ve been thousands of miles apart for over two years now, but love and inner strength keep us holding on – because there is no other way for us.”

This bittersweet yearning is captured in the lyrics, where the singer reflects that even though he is far from the person he loves, he still feels their presence in his mind and in every decision he makes. For me, the most emotional aspect of the song is that it seems to have been written with a genuine purpose beyond creating a hit: to bring himself closer to his loved one despite the thousands of miles between them.

FOLLOWAY complements his lyrical artistry with a nostalgic soundscape consisting of vintage tube amps, classic microphones, analog machine noise, and warm guitar tones. His choice to blend vintage and analog equipment with virtuosic guitar-playing gives the track a wistful and human quality to underscore themes of longing and heartache. FOLLOWAY pulls his sound right out of the early-2000s indie and pop punk scene, but he manages to echo these styles without sounding gimmicky or outdated. It less like an imitation and more like a memory, weathered by time and retextured by growth and change. In other words, it sounds like the feeling of missing someone that’s far away, but still in your heart.

As its title warns, “In My Mind” will be stuck in my head for a while, but it’s only the beginning for FOLLOWAY. Regarding his upcoming projects, he says, “New singles and plans are already lined up for the coming months, with lots of content and small performances planned across London – from street sets to intimate local stages.” 

We’re looking forward to it!

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