Peyton McMahon
I’ve been following Peyton McMahon since the release of his new single “No Control” and I haven’t been disappointed. It’s been great to see his audience get bigger as well as seeing his number of streams grow. It was also inspiring to see how he grabbed every possible opportunity and opened for Dermot Kennedy ! I think 2023 is a successful year for him. It will only get better for sure.
His new single “Someone” is probably one of his best songs. It’s so well-written and produced. It’s powerful, and just a big song in general. A must listen !
Congrats Peyton on everything you’ve achieved this year, can’t wait to hear/see more ! Keep going.
“Someone” is available now worldwide.
Hi Peyton ! How are you ? What have you been up to since our first interview ?
Hey! I've been good, just busy with the usual hustle! Writing, recording, planning my next releases, all that good stuff.
You’re getting ready to release your new single “Someone” - what’s the story behind it ?
I wrote this song last year, it's kind of an anthem for being single and having those moments where you feel a bit lonely. Sometimes, when you're going down a different path in life than so many people you're surrounded by that are setting down, starting families and stuff, you can start to kind of feel the weight of that loneliness on you and worry about the future and stuff. So I wanted to explore that in a song.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this song? Who helped you create it ?
I wrote it pretty quickly last year, then a few months later, I got in touch with a producer named Barry Fowler about working together on some stuff. I sent him a handful of my demos and this was one he was into, so we got started on it. I went to LA and we started building the production together...I knew I wanted it to have an explosive chorus and pull some influence from some of the 90's pop rock bands I grew up listening to, as well as some modern artists like Sam Fender....I also wanted it to have a good energy to run to, (laughs). I'm a big runner and I love running to music, it's just magic when you find an energetic song that you can try and match your cadence to, so I definitely wanted to make sure that energy was there. We also actually ended up using the acoustic guitar and some of the harmonies from my original demo, which was cool.
What’s your favorite lyric on “Someone”?
Honestly, the main chorus lyric "Someone I would die for, bring me back to life". It has a few different meanings, but I love the idea of caring for someone so much you'd die for them, and then them being the one who knows how to bring you back to life in return.
What made you want to release “Someone” as a single ?
Lyrically, I think it's a song that a lot of people out there can relate to, and I want to give people who can relate something to feel less alone. Sonically, I just love the vibe. Since I started putting out music, I've always loved trying to pull from different influences and try new things, but lately I've been going back to the basics of my own sound, and this song feels like a great example of that.
What do you want people to feel when listening to this song ?
If people can relate to it, I want them to feel less alone. The song is about being lonely, so it helps a little bit to know there are others out there who feel the same way. If you can't relate to it, I hope it's fun to listen to (laughs).
What biggest lessons have you learned since the release of “No Control”?
So many! You constantly learn new things as you make and put out music, I don't think there's ever an end to that. I've learned that it's good to be vulnerable in my lyrics, and I've learned more about the best parts of my own sound.
Why do you make music? What keeps you going ?
I almost can't help but make music; I write whenever I need to vent or document how I'm feeling. Something about getting it out in words helps me make sense of it in a way. Music in general is just something that makes me feel more alive than anything, and it's my favorite form of expression.
What was the proudest moment of your career/life this year ?
A few months ago, Dermot Kennedy asked me to open for him. Playing a show like that is always such a great feeling, but it meant so much more to have been asked to do so by an artist I've been so inspired and influenced by. I've been listening to him since before his first album came out, so it was really really special to have been able to perform on his stage...even cooler to have gotten such a great response from his audience. It was just really special to have been a part of it, to be backstage around people who have this same passion...it really made me remember how much this is all I want to do in my life.
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