Burwell Calls Into The Void With New Existential Pop Track, 'Sing It Back'

Imagine a musical melange consisting of the sweet vocal prowess of Michelle Branch, and Taylor Swift, mixed with the intriguing instrumentation that might accompany the likes of Harry Styles, and Adam Lambert. Add a heap of existential dread, a dash of loneliness, and a single, glimmering sprinkle of hope…and the result? The deliciously upbeat-yet-melancholic dish that is ‘Sing It Back’ by Burwell. This is the first release by Burwell in several years and has come with all manner of surprises after having otherwise given up on the music industry and the creative process.

This separation from music production matched my own neglect of both my writing and my music, so it was wonderful to have received a message from, out of the expansive void, an old familiar musical friend. When Burwell first reached out to me about covering this latest release, I was uncertain if I still had it in me to keep reviewing music and interviewing artists. It was always that thing I told myself I would get back into while life was busy making other plans for me that were less fulfilling but at least, mostly, paid the bills. She called out into the void for someone who had been open and receptive to her music in the past…and I didn’t respond. At least, not until she pressed a little harder. Thankfully, the tides of my self-defeat ebbed far enough that I could see my own little glimmer of hope, stuck in the mud. Sure, the waves come back over it every once in a while, but I’m closer and closer to digging it out and letting it shine, and that is in great part thanks to Burwell’s reaching out.

‘Sing It Back’ is both a plea and a prayer. It’s a call into the void in the seemingly vain hope for an answer. Released on March 10th (National Landline Telephone Day), it only made sense for Burwell to ask for a phone interview as opposed to our usual e-mail interviews we’d done in the past. I have to say that it was a privilege to connect in such a way and it led to over an hour and a half of fun-filled, positive, philosophical conversation. We went from weather, to creativity, inspiration, the music industry, religion, how cool Canadians are and, ultimately, a genuine appreciation of each other’s work.

While I won’t publish the interview in its entirety out of respect for privacy (and so as not to give you a full novel to read), below is what you need to know about Burwell’s music, her latest release, how it’s been going, and what’s coming down the pipeline. Having caught Burwell out on a nice spring walk in Virginia (while it was -20 here in Deep River), here’s some of what we discussed.

ATM: So, the release has been going very well?

Burwell: The release has been going very well, yeah.

ATM: It's been a very good reception then?

Burwell: Very good reception, yeah. It seems to be getting people back in touch with each other because people are sharing the song with other people, so it's opening dialogue about human connection, I guess. Feeling like you're being seen; feeling like you're being heard, which I believe is a huge part of our existence. Like, what more could we want than to be seen, and heard, and loved and accepted?

ATM: Absolutely. I've been talking to several people here about this interview, as well as the song, and they have all been interested in hearing it so there's even more connection with it, on a broader level.

Burwell: That's amazing. I'm so grateful!

ATM: Well, how does it feel to have the song featured on 'Sweethearts' on Amazon Prime?

Burwell: Oh my gosh, it was really surprising when I got the e-mail telling us – it was me and my producer and co-writer, Corey Pavlosky. It came out of the blue. We had the music with this licensing company but you never really know if it's going to work, but we got the e-mail and that kind of reignited my music passion which had gone away. My 'Boxes' EP came out in 2022, and when it was released I kind of lost my passion for music and I set it down until I got this e-mail. When I got the e-mail I thought, maybe my music is something that people want to listen to. My best friend heard the song on the series when she was sleeping. She had listened to the song before and when she heard it playing on the show, she said it woke her up out of a dead sleep.

ATM: That's amazing!

Burwell: Keep in mind, at that point, I had kind of given up on music. I thought, this isn't doing anything, it's expensive...you know, I was probably a little cynical and jaded.

ATM: It is difficult to not be, in this industry.

Burwell: It's hard. It's so hard to not give up.

ATM: Agreed. When you had reached out to me about this release, I thought about it. It had been some time since I released a review or an article. I wasn't sure that I was going to do anything with it but then you sent a follow-up e-mail and when I listened to the track I thought, I have to push this out. So thank you.

Burwell: Well, it's interesting because it's all about communication. We were basically pen pals. I pitched you music constantly and our e-mails were kind of unhinged. It was not just like, “hey, I have a song, click the link.” It was, “hey, how are you? What have you been up to?” I remember you supporting other artists, and I remember you supporting me, so when I thought about putting myself back out there I thought, 'who do I even know'?

ATM: Well, I'm glad you remembered me. So when you licensed the song and it got picked up for 'Sweethearts', you didn't have a second verse recorded, yeah?

Burwell: That's right. And there are actually five different versions of the song.

ATM: Oh wow!

Burwell: The version that you heard, that is out right now is the original demo that Corey and I recorded.

ATM: That's amazing. So, given that there have been eight years from recording that demo to its release, did you just have it locked in a vault this whole time?

Burwell: I did! I had it locked in a vault. I sat on it, and then I tried to remake it. Corey and I formed a pop trio and we decided to re-write the song to be more commercial, and a little less existential. Then I took it to a workshop and they recommended slowing it down, so I brought it to another producer to slow it down and that version exists somewhere. And I really believed in the song so I took it to another guy so now there is a jazz version of the song because that was his primary genre. And there is a trance version of the song. And then there is an original acoustic version that is live acoustic.

ATM: So, that's six versions! Would the intent be to release each of these versions?

Burwell: If I'm allowed, yes!

ATM: Incredible. So, given the number of versions you have of this song, I have to ask...with the exception of 'Can't Stop' which is a fairly upbeat tune of yours, a lot of your stuff seems to be more ethereal and ballad-type music. So what made you go with the dream-pop, upbeat vibe of this new song as opposed to your other music? Did it just require that energy to get the lyrics out for you?

Burwell: No. So, I love co-writing and I love harmonizing, and I can drive a song if I'm really into the song. Typically, I have a pretty soft voice so I don't have as much confidence, vocally, but this song was different. I was really feeling...”the feelings” when I wrote it. I felt like I was crying into the void, and that was kind of like what originated the inspiration for the song.

After talking all about how Burwell got her start in a folk duo after grad school, followed by working in a pop trio, we talked about the writing process and how we both have very little patience in the recording of songs, lest we over-deliberate on the music in an attempt to “perfect” it. We both opt for a quicker recording process, no matter how long a song has sat, waiting in the wings for its turn to hit the stage.

This all eventually led to discussing how both the aforementioned acts ran their course and drove Burwell to embark on her own solo project; changing both the level of accountability and draw of inspiration.

Burwell: I decided to launch my own solo project, so I didn't have any barriers or need approval from anyone to do anything. So, I founded Burwell in 2019, leading with the song called 'The Beginning'. It's probably one of the only songs I have that is primarily solo, second to 'Silence'. 'Silence' is mostly solo. I wrote that one in the car. 'Silence' is my favourite song that I wrote.

ATM: While you were driving, you wrote that?

Burwell: While I was driving, yeah. I was trying to sit in silence, then I realized that I couldn't so I wrote a song about sitting in silence. That is an existential song. 'Silence' was about not being able to sit alone in my own head with my thoughts.

ATM: It seems that your writing and your vocals play well to that kind of thing though.

Burwell: Existential, yeah.

ATM: Yeah, but there's nothing wrong with that. The fact that 'Silence' is your favourite song, there's obviously something about that direction that really works for you. And given that your voice is beautifully soft and you have that ethereal quality about you makes the fact that the music is slightly more existential than your average tune, one fantastic package, I think.

Burwell: Thank you. You can call it “Existential Pop” if you want to. No one has.

ATM: Excellent. I'll make sure to quote you on that.

Burwell: Existential pop, you know, just screaming into the void every day. That's kind of how I roll.

ATM: And there's nothing wrong with that...well, as long as you pull out of the void sometimes too, I think you're good.

Burwell: I think I live in the void, I'm not going to lie. I think we all live in the void, we just don't want to think about it.

ATM: That's fair enough.

Burwell: It's hard to be in the void. It's easy to be busy; I think it's easy to get distracted so that you don't get in your head.

ATM: I'd agree with that. I resemble that remark. So, given all of that, and given that you mentioned earlier that it was easier to perform with other musicians, are there plans to tour solo in the relatively near future?

Burwell: There are plans for a touring duo. I don't like to play instruments. I have learned enough guitar and piano to write songs, primarily, but when it comes to singing and playing I don't enjoy it. So, unless I'm playing with someone else, I don't want to play live. That being said, there are plans in the works to play shows so we can fund out projects because we're making an album.

ATM: And that would be Corey playing any instruments and you singing?

Burwell: Correct. It's interesting because now, after the past few years, I'm retracing my own steps to recreate my own music career, both musically as an artist, and professionally as a business.

ATM: Hopefully, it goes a smoothly as reaching out to someone and saying, “hey, do you want to do a feature”.

Burwell: We'll see. I've gotten a lot of rejections, which I'm used to so, it's fine.

ATM: Well, it comes with the territory as an artist, I think. Which doesn't make it any easier necessarily.

Burwell: It comes with the territory. I think the hard part is that I feel so deeply. Sometimes I can roll with the punches and be like, “hey, yeah, it doesn't matter, you're busy; you've got other things to do”. Other times I'm like, “wow, I suck; maybe I shouldn't do this.” Sometimes, when I'm not at my best, it will undermine my confidence, and make me want to stop. But, at the same time, I'm used to doing this for other artists; I'm used to feeling rejection for other people, and when I step back objectively and I look at myself as a brand, it hurts a little bit less. It's a business transaction and you either feel inspired or you don't. I can't make someone believe in me, and I'm not going to beg people to believe in me. They either do or they don't. I think I'm at the point know where I think I believe in me, and that's where I need to start.

ATM: That's fantastically quotable! I feel like everything you've said up until “I believe in me” is exactly how I've been feeling the past two years.

Burwell: You're kidding.

ATM: So it's incredible that you reached out to me at that point and now I'm thinking, “ah, I need to find myself at that point, somehow.” So, thank you.

Burwell: Of course.

ATM: (Not wanting to gripe too much about my own situation) Backtracking to Corey, how long have you guys worked together?

Burwell: So, we met in 2017.

ATM: Right away when you started writing music?

Burwell: Immediately. We had never hung out at all. Our first “hangout” was a co-write. He came over and we wrote a song together. Then we thought, “this was fun, we should do it again”. Then we went to a studio and that's when we wrote, “Sing It Back”...the second time that we hung out, ever. We hit it off immediately. He was like family, and still is. We just clicked.

ATM: So, given that, eight years after it was written, was it the Amazon thing that made you think, “I need to release this now”, or was there something more with your journey, and taking time away from it to say that this song is relevant now?

Burwell: Good question. I had just re-branded my business in December. I decided to go back to my roots by going to my original LLC name, which is why I branded it 'Sound Wave Strategy'. So I started to do that and then I started picking up clients pretty quickly because I had clients that I had worked with who needed help again, and while I was working with them on their promotions plan, I remembered what I was doing like riding a bike and I thought, “huh. My song's in a show now, and I know how to brand a song and do a release, so why don't I give myself a chance?” I saw that 'National Landline Telephone Day' was on March 10th. So I thought, “that's my day. That's what it's going to be”. It's like a phone call. It's like calling into the void. It just made sense.

ATM: Amazing.

Burwell: It just seemed like someone else believed in me and then I remembered when I believed in me. I was out their coaching bands, I had started the business, did it by myself, and it grew.

ATM: More in-depth about the song, specifically, for those not so well-versed in the bible, could you explain why the song reminded you of Mark 9:24?

Burwell: Oh my gosh yes. So I think that there's a perception when you have a belief system that you know everything there is to know about it, and that you're a hundred and fifty percent locked in, and you have no doubt. That's just a perception. And people make up their mind about you based on what you say you are, and that's unfortunate because I think we have a lot in common, you know?

ATM: We are a lot more than our titles, yeah.

Burwell: We're all human! We're just doing the best that we can. I love that verse because I have doubts. I just don't know. I'm praying and I don't hear anything. I'm screaming into the void and nothing's changing.

ATM: Were you reminded of that verse when you wrote the song or were you reminded of it when you released it?

Burwell: I was reminded of it when I wrote the press release. When I wrote the song, I was mad about my music career at the time, and there are still common threads in my current circumstances that make me feel the same way that I did when I wrote it. Like, I'm still frustrated about the music industry. I find a lot of things about the music industry frustrating. In all of it's glory, it can be really, really hard to “play the game” and, you know, a lot of us are in crisis mode right now.

ATM: I find the most unfortunate thing about the music industry, at least on the surface, is the fact that it's called “the music industry”. Especially since music is such a universal language; is such an important way of sharing so much and yet, it's always a struggle to make anything of it.

Burwell: It's a struggle to make ends meet using it. Like, it's so hard to make money as an artist, and I know that from working with so many artists. It's so hard. And when you put yourself out there, you make yourself completely vulnerable to the listener, who may or may not like you, and it's very hard not to take that personally. It feels like you're screaming into the void. No one can hear you, but the music is so important, whether you're getting paid for it or not. I heard something once. I heard, “tension makes a great song”. That being said, I'm trying not to spiral backwards, or spiral forwards but just to stay as present and grounded as I can right now, and also not to get my hopes too high. There is a dreamer side of me. The tagline for The Marketing Mixtape is “dream fearlessly”. Which is so hard! How do you dream fearlessly? Like, how do you put yourself in a dreamy head space without being cynical or jaded? It's so hard to do.

ATM: I don't know how to answer that question because I'm not quite there.

Burwell: Yeah, I have answer ideas. I think the most important thing you can have as an artist is self-belief. If you don't believe in yourself, it's a lot harder to get your people to believe in you too.

ATM: That's true enough.

Burwell: But sometimes other people believe in you more than you believe in yourself, and you never know which one is going to be first.

ATM: And you never know what's coming down the pipeline so you never know when that's going to switch.

Burwell: Yeah, and I think believing in the song is probably even more important than that. The song is its own thing; the song takes on its own life. So, you're kind of just like a conduit for the song. You're a vessel for creativity. It goes from your mind, to your instrument of writing. And what is the Source of that creativity?

ATM: Well, since we're on that track, I have to ask, knowing full well it's a very personal question and you can absolutely tell me to sod off about it if you don't want to answer it but, given the lyrics of the song...did you hear back at all?

Burwell: I feel like I hear back all the time.

ATM: In what way?

Burwell: It's like: you're going to get judged, you're going to get ridiculed, you're going to get push-back...That's not fun. It doesn't feel good. But I'm not looking to hurt anyone. That's not my intent. I don't want to start a fight.

ATM: Well, no. It sounds more like you're wanting to have a shared experience through your music.

Burwell: Yeah, I don't want to use it for evil. I want to use it for good.

ATM: Well, I think you have with this song. One, it seems to have pulled you out of something and has allowed to rediscover something about yourself and your career which, also, given that that means you have more music coming out, is also doing good for people. For yourself and others because I enjoy your music.

Burwell: Thank you.

ATM: Thank you! I mean that and your lyrics, as existential as they may be, are important things to think about and ponder, and not everyone takes the time to do it. As you said earlier, it's easy to distract yourself and not take the moment. But, if you're pushing the moment through a song and someone's taking the time to listen, then they're taking the time to ponder it.

Burwell: That's right. And maybe they'll get existential for a second and wonder what their calling is. What are they going to do about the calling? I mean, the calling is a double entendre. It's not just the calling of the song, it's the calling of the void, like what do you feel called to do?

ATM: And it's a big void.

Burwell: Yeah, but since this release, I've got more texts and calls than I've ever gotten in my life from people in my community who liked [the song] and want to get together. So, I'm managing a surprising social response to this call for connection. I've never had this happen to me in my music career.

ATM: And how does that feel?

Burwell: It's overwhelming.

ATM: Overwhelming, but in a predominantly positive way, given that your call to connect did, exactly, connect you with many people.

Burwell: Yeah, exactly. My call to connect is making people want to connect again. I'm hearing from people I haven't heard from in years. It's calling to mind things that I forgot about that I was feeling and believed in back in 2022 when I was dealing with depression. I feel called to talk about depression because it's a huge issue. I think I'm not the only one who's lost sight of what they want, or what they believe about themselves. If I had to promote one thing, it would be mental health because I know that depression can lead to a really dark place that you don't want to go to. And I've been there and back, and I think that there's hope at the bottom. It's like a glimmer of hope. It kept me from going even deeper into depression than I already was. So, I wholeheartedly believe that there's hope, and it comes from unexpected places, and I want my music to reflect that.

ATM: I think, with this release, it does. Even if people didn't take the lyrics as a conversation and just as a one-way call for help, or an answer, or some connection, I feel like they'd still get the idea that there's hope because you're still putting out that call, which means there's still a notion in your head that there is something to reach out to; there is something there to respond to you, whether or not you hear it right away.

Burwell: Exactly! I believe there's something out there. What exactly it is? I believe that's not for me to know. I believe that there's light and that's a reflection. My mission statement for myself is, “to unearth beauty through reflection”. So, reflecting the light as a creator. The world can be a scary place. I know that. It's hard to be a human.

ATM: It is absolutely that, and I don't think you've done yourself any favours by choosing the music industry to be a human in. It's already hard enough.

Burwell: That's why I left, partly. It was like, “too hard, not doing this, I'm good”, you know? But I feel called to put this song out.

I think we all call out to the void at one time or another. It’s where we dwell, even if we distract ourselves from our existential crises with whatever mundane drudgery that we decide makes the world work. When we call out to the void, we may not always get an answer right away, and we may not all agree on where the response comes from, but the fact that we all call out shows how connected we all are. I think we could learn something quite useful from ‘Sing It Back’. Know that, however alone you may feel in the vast expanse of the universe, you can call out. You can pray (if that’s your thing). You can pick up the phone and connect to another. You can knock on a neighbour’s door; give a friend a hug. In this world that is more connected than ever before, we have to remember to see past the digital footprint to the actual human being who left it. Let’s remember to truly connect with one another…and enjoy a fun and upbeat tune while we’re at it!