Today Daniela Andrade returns with her new self-produced single, “Puddles,” ahead of the September 30th release of her upcoming EP Nothing Much Has Changed, I Don't Feel The Same.
Following the success of 2019’s Tamale EP, we named Andrade as one of our 20 Canadian Artists to Watch Out For in 2020. Since then, she’s gently punctuated the year with several compelling video releases: the noir-inspired “Tamale” dropped back in February, the timely “Bad Times Are Good Times” featuring Sean Leon came around in April, and two weeks ago, the sensually smooth visuals for “$$$” debuted.
This song, however, is the beginning of something new and it’s the first single from a project conceived during lockdown. "After hitting a lull during quarantine trying to continue work on my album, I decided to take a step back and write from a place with no specific goal in mind,” says Andrade.
“Puddles” is an intimate recollection of days gone by; reminiscent of a simpler time, when new experiences were thrilling, and life as a whole was much less harrowing. Andrade’s vocals are pitched up, evoking a trance-inducing sense of euphoria while the lyrics whisk the listener away to a world of reverie lost in innocence.
Toronto-based producer Harrison assists with Andrade’s stylistic switch-up, delivering a bouncing bassline proving that when these two get together, they never miss. The pair previously connected on Harrison’s 2018 album Apricity, on the tracks “Atmosphere” and “Better.”
The video—co-directed by Jeremy Comte and Andrade herself—was inspired by photographer Jean François Sauvé and artist Ema Gaspar, who both contributed to the song’s mixed-media artwork. The final result hypnotizes while these elements overflow across the screen. Andrade is depicted dancing atop of a swirling puddle of colours as the camera shifts above her to below her, providing the striking illusion that she’s walking on water. It’s a mesmerizing, woozy display shimmering with idyllic sentiment as fragmented reflections of the Honduran-Canadian singer come in and out of focus.
Speaking further about the song, Andrade notes: “‘Puddles’ is specifically about a field near my parents' house where I’d spend hours lying under pine trees. Sometimes with friends. A lot of times doing or saying things for the first time. It's the first track I wrote for what became Nothing Much Has Changed, I Don’t Feel the Same.”
It’s short, it’s sweet—and hopefully, it’ll take your mind off the woes of today.
Watch the video for “Puddles” above.
