It’s crazy to think that it has been almost four years since we last heard from New York singer/songwriter, Michael Jayson, but with an EP like this, we’re not even mad.
Jayson unleashed his new release, Into The Light, during the best possible time. As people around the world are cooped up in their homes during this pandemic while trying to figure out their next move, Into The Light offers a beacon of hope to those who may feel broken and lost.
“The four songs on this EP tell the stories of people who find themselves feeling lost or unworthy, and how–whether it be themselves or another–there’s always someone who believes in them even if they may not be able to see it themselves just yet (hence the title),” shared Jayson. “I realized over the past year that even in the worst of times, you have a choice: to fall into the negatives of a situation, or to find the positives. Into the Light is a group of songs, whether they be about a friend, a complete stranger, or even myself, that elect to see the good and the hope. Hopefully, it’ll encourage others to do the same.”
With some serious ’90s and early aughts nostalgia running rampant throughout the entire EP, Into The Light just might be that glimmer of hope you’ve been searching for.
We asked Michael to give us a rundown of Into The Light in this exclusive track-by-track commentary. Enjoy and don’t forget to pick up the EP here.
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“The Gray”
“The Gray” came at a really strange time in my life. I was working like crazy (not in the arts), family life was a little unstable, and I had just gotten back into writing music after two years, but absolutely nothing was coming out. I just felt discouraged. I was taking the subway home one night, and everyone seemed to be in their own little world…quiet, isolated, not looking at each other. It was disheartening. And then this guy dressed in a button down and khakis got on the train with a huge bouquet of flowers. Two stops later, his date got on. The flowers were for her, and she was grinning from ear to ear. Turns out they were going on their third date and he got her flowers because why not. It was so cute, and I couldn’t stop smiling at how genuinely happy and surprised she was. And neither could the two people across from me. We all started joking with the couple that he must like her a bit and it made me realize that even when life could feel so lonely and blah, even the smallest gesture/moment/sound could create some warmth or happiness, hell, maybe even to someone you’d never realize you could make a difference for. And I realized that’s the feeling I wanted to be able to give to others. When I got home, after two years of pretty much nothing, “The Gray” started to come out.
“Where the Story Ends”
“Where The Story Ends” was born, like many great things – out of a conversation with a stranger. One night a while back, I dropped into my neighborhood bar for a drink and struck up a conversation with the girl next to me. Turns out she had JUST moved to New York from South Carolina a month earlier for a great career opportunity. But with that came a price. After a few more hours (and several more drinks), she told me how her boyfriend of two years came up to visit the first week she was here, and after a long screaming match about the move, they broke up and he left her apartment. He didn’t come back until the next morning. Turns out he went down the street to drink, met a girl, and slept with her. She was devastated. She couldn’t understand how someone she cared about so deeply could do something like that. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. And it turns out neither could I, because I went home and the lyrics for “Where the Story Ends” just came out. I’m happy to report that said girl is currently living in a beautiful house in South Carolina with her boyfriend and their dog, and they’re all very happy.
“Woah”
One of my good friends from college is a reporter. She was born and raised in New York, but spent the past decade living anywhere else while chasing her dream. A few years ago, she was back in the city for a family event and had some time to catch up. And after a few drinks, the honesty came out. She knew she was still building her career, but after a decade of living in random smaller cities, she started wondering if she’d made the right choice. All her friends had established careers and roots somewhere, and she was still moving around with nothing concrete to show for it. Was she wasting her time? Was she good enough? Knowing she was feeling that way killed me, and soon, “Woah” was born, almost as a message to let her know that even though she couldn’t see what she was capable of, I could. And I knew she’d get where she wanted to go. I’m happy to say that she now works in Washington DC as a reporter on Capitol Hill, and is loving every damn minute of it.
“Home”
“Home,” to me, is a very simple song. Home is the feeling you get when you’re next to someone and you know it’s something more. You know it’s that spark. Home is that unrelenting feeling where you’re trying to hold back and play it cool and strategic like chess, but your heart is beating ten times its normal rate and everything you want to say is running through your head to the point where you’re about to burst. Home is that feeling when you’re finally holding that person, and everything just feels…right. That’s Home to me. I’ll hold off on the actual story for this one, but I’ll just say that feeling, to me, is one of the most genuine, wonderful feelings out there, and I wanted to make a fun, playful, celebratory song to reflect that.
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