Goodbye July

Album: Drive (2015)
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Songfacts®:

  • In our interview with the New York-based singer Shayna Leigh, she explained how this song finds hope in despair. "'Goodbye July' is about the loss of a relationship (romance, friendship, family, any kind of loss, really) and about how you grow as a result. It's about losing something you care deeply about and realizing that you will be okay anyway. I think growth happens through connection – connection to other people, to your passions and most importantly to yourself."
  • Leigh spoke to Starry Constellation Magazine about the process of actually creating the tune. "One of my favorite things to do musically lately is that I have gotten really into the contrast, adding a more organic... This song, to me, has a country feel with a pop feel with some electronic elements," she said. "To me, this is sort of the closest to a country song that I will get. Never say never! I'm a pretty big Mumford & Sons fan and I sort of almost think this is my little take on that. Obviously, what they do is so different from me, but this feels like it is somehow inspired by them and then by my own association. I thought it had a pretty cool Mumford-y feel, which is awesome because I'm a pretty big fan and they are some of my favorite people to cover. But what I love about 'Goodbye July' is that I cowrote it with my producers and it started with the guitar part. They kind of had this idea for it being a song about the end of a relationship that is kind of a sad song, but putting it in the format of an up-tempo almost happy song. It's about a breakup, but in a happy way. I love that! I think that it is sort of where the contrast thing comes in. It's this less happy idea that in a way is happy because, in my opinion, every breakup leads you to the next thing. So, in a way every experience we have is perfect even when it is all messed up. What I love about this song is that it is not necessarily just about romance. I like to write music that is applicable to any relationship so that as many people as possible can relate."
  • Leigh also explained to Starry Constellation Magazine how the music video and song perfectly complement each other. "The video tells this story of a breakup, but what I think it really is the story of is you realizing you're going to be okay. We're all going to be okay. We'll move on to bigger and better and different things, love and experiences," she said. "I make these videos with a good friend of mine and we pretty much have done all of my videos together. What I love about her (and maybe it stems from our friendship and our connection) is for whatever reason she knows what the song is about before I explain it to her. She just finds a way to sort of create the story that I wanted to tell, without me telling her what that is. That is one of the most unique and beautiful collaborations I've been a part of. The team she assembles is more talented than anyone else I know (including myself). What I think is really cool about the video (besides it being the most fun thing I've done in my life) is that the fun we have in the ocean was just us having some extra time. So, what I think is cool is the way we attempted to tell the story is that it is about a breakup so the pictures are sort of the end of the relationship. So, it's about the breakup, but realizing you are okay after you have grieved. I grieve, but then in the end I realize I am okay and have found ways of expanding and channeling whatever love I have for this guy in so many other things. It's blossoming in the wake of what could be this sad thing. What is cool about the video is the first half of the song where I'm with this guy we do all different things together (a party, the beach and the park) and then in the end when I re-channel and have grown up I realize I am great and okay. I'm moving on by going to the beach, the park and a party. I think it is a cool idea that there is joy on both sides and no relationship is wasted. On the other side of the sadness is more fun stuff – with a man or without a man – with a girl or without a girl. I think that when we find ourselves heartbroken, there is on the other side of the heartbreak more good stuff."

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