Amidst the chaos of music releases last week, a gem of a debut EP (named this is about You) was released by Delaney Bailey last Friday. The album musically captures the essence of experiencing heartbreak as a young adult who doesn’t even have themselves figured out, let alone their relationships. Below is a track-by-track reflection of Bailey’s most recent artistry.
track 1: “For You”
First released as a single in September, the opening track, “For You” tugs at heartstrings with its depiction of the process of changing yourself for your relationship partner. This is a relatable experience in any relationship (even in ones with strangers), which is what makes the lyrics hit even harder. There will always be people who want to make you feel like you need to take up less space, and Bailey manages to capture that desire to minimize your presence in the course of 140 musical seconds.
Need to stifle my voice again.
– lyrics from “For You” by Delaney Bailey
Need to make myself small again.
So that I can fit in the palms of your hands.
So that I can be loved again.
track 2: “Finish Line”
The second track, “Finish Line,” was originally released as a single in October, and it begins with arguably the best opening line on this EP. Her voice draws you in, but when you comprehend what she’s saying, it’s absolutely heartbreaking (to say the least). It illustrates the experience of realizing that someone has reached the finish line and have learned to completely get over you, while you’re still trying desperately to start the race while drowning in the quicksand that they have successfully run past. But, as I’ve heard people say, “A good start is half the battle.” You can’t begin a race without tying your laces, and you can’t begin healing without taking your first step.
If this breakup was a race, you’d win by a landslide.
– lyrics from “Finish Line” by Delaney Bailey
And I’d be tying my shoes back by the start line.
track 3: “Just Come Down”
Delaney Bailey sings her third track, “Just Come Down,” in quite possibly the prettiest way that I think someone could sing about shrooms. However, her voice sounds distant and hollow, much like a haunted spirit. It’s as if she’s no longer concerned with simply beginning the process of healing to get over her previous relationship partner. Instead, she’s ready to create some distance because she knows that she deserves better and wants someone to love her the way that she loves them.
‘Cause best believe that when you’re holdin’ all that smoke in your lungs,
– lyrics from “Just Come Down” by Delaney Bailey
The tar that stays in there will be all that you have left of us.
track 4: “I Don’t Need You To Survive”
The EP closes out with “I Don’t Need You To Survive,” which depicts someone discovering that the person they yearned for is not actually worth all their time and effort. This is the track that feels the most like a form of closure for Bailey (and thus, the album). She recognizes that the amount of time she wasted thinking about this person has been masking the fact that she has finally outgrown them. Rather, it seems like this is something akin to a turning point, or just the beginning of something new.
And now I hate all the songs I wrote about you.
– lyrics from “I Don’t Need You To Survive” by Delaney Bailey
Not that they’re bad, just that they’re true.
Forever grateful that the TikTok algorithm worked in my favor (for once in my life) and helped uncover Delaney Bailey. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store. This EP really shows her potential as an emerging indie pop artist and, with the right single, she could find some major success. For now, I am eagerly (and not-so-patiently) awaiting an announcement of release dates for her unreleased songs (which psst… you can find short clips of them on her TikTok @dasdelaney).
But for now, her released songs will suffice. You can start with listening to this is about You here:
