Amanda Stewart’s second single is a deeply personal song about the impact of addiction on relationships. Lyrically heartbreaking, ‘Drugs’ is performed with real emotion by Stewart and her collaborators Collin Elmore and Reuben Bidez of Nashville band Cabin Boys, whose voices are full of character. The trio’s beautiful harmonies ache with compassion over an atmospheric arrangement with a gentle rhythm, swelling keys and moody electric guitar. The video was shot during recording in Fatback Studios, Nashville, and shows the connection between the singers, while the lighting reinforces the feel of the song.
Stewart shares the background to ‘Drugs’: “During a particularly dark time in my life, I became close to someone I had known for years — but soon found out that I had never really known them at all. I started to feel them pull me into being something for them that I knew in my heart I wasn’t ever going to be. As much as I wanted to help, I also knew that I needed to protect myself, so this song is sort of my letter to them, as well as to myself.” Her message is direct and authentic – it’s a sensitively written song to absorb and reflect upon.
‘Drugs’ is taken from Stewart’s forthcoming album ‘Venom’, which will be released on 28th July 2023. In recent years, Stewart has dedicated herself to the art and craft of music but it was always part of her life, particularly inspired by the time spent on her grandparents’ ranch in Montana. She explains: “Montana is a hidden gem full of all sorts of genres of music. That paired with the slower pace of life compared to other cities I’ve lived in like Seattle, gave me the figurative and literal space for self reflection. I can remember sitting at the old, slightly out of tune, piano at my grandparents ranch in Montana just plugging away at the keys and singing nonsense. I was always singing or humming as a kid.” She hopes her new songs convey a message about human connections: “I just want people to feel ok with whatever they’re feeling. There are songs about a lot of serious and difficult things, and also songs about fleeting moments in my life, and I know others have had similar experiences. I want people to get these songs stuck in their head, so that they can be reminded that someone else has been where they may be at now, or have been before in life.” There’s heart and soul in Stewart’s thoughtful songs. Check it out.
