Canadian artists Thea May and Troy Junker team up to give listeners a heartfelt experience by releasing their desirous single, "Runaway."
Hailing from Atikameksheng, Anishnawbek, the Ojibway singer-songwriter Thea May began delving into songwriting a couple of years back, leading her collaborating with mentors like Adrian X, who will also feature on her forthcoming album in June 2021. From a small town in Saskatchewan to Toronto, the Métis rapper and songwriter Troy Junker finally has his feet wet in the industry. Listeners can expect uplifting lyrical content and heightened emotion through each of Troy Junker's releases.
While speaking about their recent collaboration, "Runaway," Thea May stated, "Something was just giving me nostalgia that day," while Junker mentioned, "I wrote my lyrics with a vulnerable approach so both men and women can relate and live through the lyrics." Both artists push through this track with incredible emotion and playfulness, alongside the bouncy pop production that livens our days.
"Runaway" begins its venture with bright electric guitar picking by Luke Smith and Thea May's warm vocal tones. While she starts singing of reuniting with a loved one and the memories they hold dearly, a punchy kick drum makes its way in and heightens the song's energy. An unexpected build takes us to the hook where Thea May exclaims her desire to flee with someone close. As Troy Junker begins rapping his heartfelt bars, he touches on being in awe of someone's ways and wanting to drop everything to rekindle their flame once over.
As "Runaway" runs on, the track makes its way to the outro through a sweet and uplifting sonic arrangement that floats like a daydream. Catch the glimmering single "Runaway" on all streaming platforms, and get to know the versatile stylings of Thea May and Troy Junker.
It's great to sit down with you both. We really admire the positive atmosphere and uplifting lyrical content within your single, "Runaway." What initially inspired the two of you to collaborate on a song?
Thea: This is not our first collaboration, Troy and I met at a songwriting camp back in August 2019. We spent 3 days writing 3 songs with mentors. We formed the group Wolf Den and released our first collaboration “So Close”. We became super tight friends and then moved forward to release two more singles together in May 2020 (Colours & We Up). Runaway was spontaneous and involved a group of good friends just getting together to catch a vibe.
This question is for Thea, did your lyricism flow with ease when creating the single "Runaway?" Did you write all of your lyrics while in that jam session with Luke Smith?
Thea: Yes, it was a really easy flowing process… Luke is a family friend, we had gotten together at a time during the pandemic when things had reopened. The riff he played was so catchy I just instantly had a nostalgic feeling. It was one of those, write the whole song in one session type moments.
Troy, regarding your verse within "Runaway," what was your songwriting process like? How did you write your bars to coincide with the song's theme while also adding your own flair and emotion?
Troy: I wanted to write charming and romantic bars that go along with the theme of reconnecting with someone and running away. I made it vulnerable and relatable in hopes that people can live the lyrics through their lives. My own flair and emotion come from my personal experiences and how the conversation would go for me if I was asking for someone to run away with me.
What was the creative process like for "Runaway," seeing as most of it took place with each artist quarantined at their respective locations?
Thea: The creative process was interesting, we had gotten together during a time when things were open with restrictions in place. We had been able to get a couple of sessions into track vocals and get the important stuff recorded before we locked back up. Keep in mind we are in Canada so the restrictions are a little bit different than in the US I would think. We did spend a significant amount of time on zoom sessions, which was memorable. We filmed our quarantine music video from our respective locations which were challenging and fun.
What can we expect next?
Thea: Next you can expect much more from both of us this year. I will be releasing an album this coming spring/summer 2021 dates are TBD. You will also possibly see a project of collaborations of myself and Troy while he will also deliver singles throughout 2021!