Supposedly most of the great art in the world is about longing and loving and heartache; intense sensations that are universally rampant and almost synonymous with the human experience. Don Brownrigg‘s latest revisits that relatable tug at the old heartstrings, as he tries to recover from an emotional and physical upheaval on “Room For Me.”
“We all struggle with feelings of darkness and solitude; be it from a lost relationship or struggling to find our place in the world. It’s an inevitable battle that we must face. I’d like for us to feel a sense of camaraderie in our troubles. To know that we’re not alone,” says Brownrigg.
Brownrigg also offers a far more explicit explanation of that lonesome place that inspired “Room For Me.”
“I got dumped and got pathetic.”
While the song definitely had its initial moment of genesis it only came together later when Brownrigg played it for one of his best friends, who just happened to be award-winning producer Daniel Ledwell. Ledwell encouraged Brownrigg to finish writing the song so that they could record it.
The video came together in much more of a hurry. Chosen as a single just a week before its release, Brownrigg needed something. For that he turned to another award-winning friend, Mel Stone and her somewhat infamous peep-hole.
“Mel Stone and I made it in a pinch. I’d seen her post Instagram stories out that peep old and knew it’d be perfect for what I was going for.”
Brownrigg says he was looking for a video that would be somewhat understated, lending itself to the tone he wanted to set. Stone’s doorway provided just that, with the inherent requesting nature of the door’s peep-hole.
“It’s about looking for an answer that I’m not sure I’m going to get. [It’s] one of the most vulnerable and softest songs on the album and I love singing it,” says Brownrigg. “I wanted to come out of the gate soft and not with a big, highly produced song. There are boppy upbeat ones but I wanted this first as a re-introduction to the market.”
And as for the ex that acted as a catalyst for “Room for Me”, Brownrigg says that things are better between them now. Or, at least they have been, but Brownrigg admits that they may have not have heard the song…
“He doesn’t know, I don’t think,” laughs Brownrigg. “Well, maybe he does now. It’s cool. We get along. It was a rough and sad breakup, but we still keep in touch sometimes. Don’t date a writer if you don’t want to get written about.”
When it comes to writing songs about private events in a public manner, things can get messy, but Brownrigg says his writing doesn’t get specific enough in its details to upset any apple carts.
“I have respect for everyone and wouldn’t want them to feel hurt or betrayed. It’s up the artist I think, and how people deal with love and loss is their own journey. I’m fully aware that if someone is reading into my lyrics, they are only getting my view of it. Every one of my lines means something to me – but I’m happy for others to make it their own too.”
While Brownrigg does hint at the release of a full album, and “Room For Me” is just the teaser, he says that details are being kept under wraps for now.