Meet Savannah Conley

It is a beautiful moment when music clicks and resonates with your soul. Sometimes you can name what it is, maybe the rhythm, a chord progression, or a lyric. Sometimes it is more mysterious, and it feels like the artist has been a friend who knows exactly what you want and need at a certain time.

The latter happened for me with Savannah Conley when I heard “More Than Fine,” the first single of her upcoming debut album Playing The Part of You is Me – a beautiful record that takes stock of different phases of a relationship at a particular stage of life.

Of course, I was thrilled when we were offered the opportunity to ask Savannah a few questions, which we publish today in the newsletter and on Wednesday on the site. The album will be released this Friday, May 12, but in the meantime, enjoy “More Than Fine,” below:

When did you first start songwriting, and what music were you listening to at that time?

i started “seriously” writing songs, by that i mean writing them down with a pen and paper instead of it just living in my head, when i was probably 11. at that point i was listening to a lot of regina spektor, kings of leon, feist, keane, the beatles, and definitely some like aly & aj in there.

You are quoted as having a conflicted relationship with your hometown Nashville. Do you think living in such a music-centric city makes finding your own way as an artist easier or harder?

absolutely! i wouldn't say it's as conflicted as it is complicated. i don't have a conflict of whether i love it there or not. it obviously has its issues, both major and minor, but it is definitely my home. growing up in such a musical place did so much to foster my love for it, but it also definitely had the opposite effect at the same time. with it being so present and familial, it was harder for me to find a place for myself that didn't feel already taken.

Let’s discuss your upcoming album Playing the Part of You is Me. First, congratulations on a fantastic record! It is your first full-length release after two albums that never came out. What worked better this time?

firstly, thank you!! this situation was so much different than any past situations i’ve had. we had as much time as we needed or wanted to make this record, so we took almost a year. we were able to go down every rabbit hole we wanted to, and i was able to be more directly involved in it than i ever have been. it was a true collaboration between me and the producer jeremy lutito. i could not be more thankful for him.

The songs of Playing The Part of You Is Me feel like a coherent, keen view of the different stages of a relationship. I still get a sense that the trouble is all worth it. I am wondering though: is the album more of a love or breakup story for you?

ah, well that's complicated. to be honest, the subject matter has to do with a few different relationships. i just have a lot of what you might call unhealthy patterns, so they all tend to end up looking more or less the same. so, i think it’s both. the vulnerability of loving someone is arguably more vulnerable than the rawness of losing someone. so, i think a lot of it is about coming to terms with that.

It is hard to pick only one favorite song from the album, but I especially love “Don’t Make Me Reach.” You said you wrote this song very quickly on a broken guitar. When did the idea come to you to massively change the song’s mood halfway through?

i honestly don't know. it kind of just happened when i was writing it. it felt like it came out as a full fledged song.

I would not be surprised if this album makes you a star. Is there any one goal you dream of achieving as a musician?

there’s not one in particular. i just want to be able to tour sustainably and make records for the rest of my life.

You are going on tour in April and May. Do you also plan to come to the East Coast and New York City? I hope you do.

not anything i can say right now, but keep an eye open :)

Thanks for reading glamglare! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

Song Pick of the Day

Listen to/watch all seven songs on YouTube. Follow our daily updated playlists on YouTube and Spotify for the 50 latest Song Picks of the Day.

Our 18th playlist of 2023 starts with fun all around. Think of a love affair with a Versace model. The female lead in this summer fantasy, "Versace Eros," plays Danish singer Siné. The soundtrack comes from the Brooklyn brother duo French Horn Rebellion.

Erin Birgy, aka Mega Bog, already has four full-length albums under her belt. For her fifth, End of Everything, she tones down the guitar and does shimmering synth-pop. Her message is serious as always, though the latest single, "Cactus People," is "a transparent call to practice addressing what lies at the feared feet of abandonment."

If you are into indie rock music, you will love "Another Way" – a catchy, energetic song that sounds like the genre should sound in the 20s. But, if not, maybe you will change your mind now. The UK band The Horn has only six songs so far; surely, more will come this year.

Junodef is three women who met in school in Sweden and then moved to London to make music together. Their new song, "She Wants to Win," sounds like a futuristic Warpaint evolution with more synths, programming, and tasteful vocal processing. The band has only a few recorded songs but reportedly is excellent live.

The brothers Ron and Russell Mael have released 25 albums, and I'm confident that we never had musicians with such an extended body of work on the site. It also happens that their '94 record Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins is one of my favorite albums of the 90s. So I'm excited that the new song, "Veronica Lake," is classic Sparks, up to and including the album title, The Girl is Crying in her Latte.

Brand new is Tiger Silko, the collaboration of musicians Lisa Jaeggi and Jonathon Wright. At home in film scoring, they decided to create their own cinematic sonic experience. Their third single, "Feeler," features tribal drums and mysterious flutes and is sure to take you into a fantastic world.

DJ and singer/songwriter Barbara left New York for the Bay Area, and there can only be two reasons for that: a new job or a new love. So guess what it was in her case? But, of course, there is more to the story, and I would not be surprised to find it one day on a Subway ad for a certain dating app. In the end, everybody appreciates a good love story, particularly if it comes wrapped in such an exuberant and glittering song like "Ride The Wave."

Nine Photos From (Around) the New Colossus Festival Summer Saturdays @18thWardBrewing

The first in the summer series was a Sunday, but the next mini-festivals will take place on Saturdays. It’s a wonderful occasion to meet old friends and make new ones, and listen to some great music. With Elke in the photo is the lovely Eva Wagner, a brilliant marketing and music pro. Also, in the photos, two of the festival’s three founders: Steven and birthday boy Lio. Can you spot them? Here’s to more inspirational encounters!