They say that the third time’s the charm, right? Although, just like “three strikes and you’re out,” it’s a negative implication (like things haven't gone well up to that point) and my blog this week is anything but that tone. Quite frankly, for the third week in a row I’m abandoning the usual content so I can instead share a positive review of a really good song that was submitted to me.
And yes, I get it that this is starting to almost be a habit rather than an exception to the rule, but the three artists and your ears will be glad that I did veer down these exit ramps to destinations that are worth arriving at.
In the latest case I’m referring to a brand-new track called, “Breathe,” which is by decorated Canadian recording artist Michelle Calder. How decorated, you ask? Does International Singer Songwriters Association 2025 nominee for International Female Vocalist of the Year, Rising Star, Songwriter of the Year, and Emerging Artist show you? None of those should come as a surprise, given her upcoming newest release.
Simply put, the song is nicely done. I found that it had a good tempo, nice tone, and just feels good. Something that others have tried and is tough to pull off is that Calder showed a really nice touch in tastefully using nature sounds, not to mention the lyrical play on what was around her as she wrote the song. This is a pleasant song that keeps a smile on the listener's face for three minutes. I was glad this came across my virtual desk.
This is a hardworking artist. I know because she shared links in the submission portal, which allowed me to go see how busy she keeps herself, how much she’s working at her craft, how much she has fully immersed herself in her music career (live performances, attending a conference, songwriting, recording, releasing music).
As a quick side note, there is another service that I get songs submitted to me through. I had pointed out to one artist that they didn’t have any of their social links on there. They wrote back saying they’re under no obligation to provide such. While that’s true – that the site obviously doesn’t make it mandatory – you’re only hurting yourself by not providing those helpful links. Here’s why.
As I listened to Michelle Calder’s song – and I realize this won’t be the case when someone hears her track, say, on the radio – I was moved, because of the availability of the links she provided, to look around online and learn more about her.
Back to the track, while Calder, as I noted above, certainly isn’t the first artist to incorporate ocean waves into a song, I got a sense that her song could stand on its own if someone wanted it without the waves on there. I know that a guest on my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast talked fairly recently about making changes to a song for a sync placement. That kind of versatility will go a long way towards opening doors that you don’t want to keep closed by being too insistent on not touching the finished product.
That said, Calder might find herself with a wider palette when it comes to possible outlets for “Breathe” because of the presence of the waves. I’m thinking of meditation or calming platforms or new age outlets that all might turn it down if the waves aren’t on the track.
Thinking of her performing the song live actually opens up another opportunity as well. If she’s introducing the song and tells the audience that, “On the recorded version of this track you’ll hear the sound of ocean waves,” then people will go looking for it. That could be a nice marketing tactic to employ from the stage.
Spoiler alert: Calder has been writing songs for over 27 years, so she knows a thing or two about a thing or two. Thus, it’s no surprise that “Breathe” made such a great impression on me. That bodes well for those of you, though, who are just discovering her for the first time. Clearly her reputation precedes her and when you like her new song and want to go find more, there will be an ample inventory.
Now, that being said, unlike other song reviews that I write on this site, I don’t have a song-specific Spotify link for you this time because this track will be released next month (in August). It’s the second single off her upcoming album, “Wildling,” which is due out in the fall. But just like I’m often heard saying on the podcast, it’s all the more reason to keep up with her online – in this case, to watch for news of the release of “Breathe.”
For more than twenty years I have been helping indie music artists, authors, actors, entrepreneurs, podcasters, filmmakers, small business owners, and more. What challenges are you having in your creator career that I can lend some insight to? Connect with me so you can take advantage of all my experience, and I can help and keep you moving forward.