Delilah Montagu is a force in every sense of the word – a two time Grammy winner, an impeccable songwriter, and an undeniably gifted vocalist. Adding to her ever growing list of accomplishments, Montagu is gearing up to release The Bird, a brilliantly vulnerable EP that details her journey both as an artist and as an individual.
“Orange,” released on May 3rd, is the third single from the upcoming EP. A stripped back, gentle ballad detailing a doomed relationship, “Orange” showcases Montagu’s poignant lyricism and warm vocals. It’s deeply honest, and is such a comforting listening experience.
Ahead of the release of The Bird, I had the opportunity to ask Delilah Montagu some questions about the project.
Brigid Young: Your latest single “Orange” was released earlier this month, how have you felt about the response to it so far?
Delilah Montagu: I am so happy! The song means so much to me and to see it connecting with people and their own experiences means the world to me.
BY: Can you tell me about the bird and fish metaphor in the lyrics? What does that mean to you?
DM: To me, it is talking about how we can love someone so deeply but know that we would never be able to exist in each other’s worlds. Birds drown in water and fish need water to breathe, just like sometimes the deepest love can be the most destructive.
BY: In that same vein, can you tell me about how you decided on The Bird as the title for your upcoming EP?
DM: The bird kind of sums up all of the songs on the EP for me, they are talking about freedom and nature and exploitation and what better metaphor to use for that than a bird.
BY: The visuals in the “Orange” music video are stunning, can you tell me a bit about how the video came together?
DM: Thank you! I am working with an incredible creative director called Peter Cerrito and he understands me and my music so strongly so the video perfectly encapsulates the vulnerable pain and beauty of the song. Cutting from me floating in a dreamlike state alone to me floating with the person the song is about sums it up perfectly for me.
BY: Could you tell me a bit about what the creative process looked like for The Bird?
DM: I made the whole project in a week in Mexico City with my musical collaborator Phil Simmonds. It honestly was one of the most inspiring weeks of my life and the whole thing just seemed to fall out of us. Feels like years of writing suddenly all came out at once. It was really special.
BY: What does your writing process look like? Do you have a routine or method, or does it always vary?
DM: It varies a lot. I wrote Orange in my bed in about half an hour, and some of the others took longer but for this project all of them came quite quickly and naturally. I decided to stop overthinking and trying to make every song perfect.
BY: Looking back on the creative process for The Bird, do you have a favorite memory from throughout the process? Is there a particular moment or session that stands out to you?
DM: My favourite was probably the cat in the studio in Mexico City who would sit on my lap everyday. I love cats and I think that it really made me feel grounded and safe like I was at home in a weird way. I think genuinely that if the cat hadn’t been there, I don’t know if we’d have had such an inspired week!
BY: How do you feel that your relationship with songwriting has changed throughout the course of your career?
DM: It has softened. I think when I started I was so oblivious about what songwriting even was, it was just something I have always done from the age of 6 and then signing a deal and being put into sessions I suddenly had this awareness around it that tainted it for me. I have spent the last few years unlearning that and remembering to just be myself and that there is no right or wrong when it comes to songwriting. As long as it feels good to you and you’re proud of it, that’s all that really matters.
BY: What inspires you to keep creating?
DM: I can’t really stop, life inspires my creativity. The people and my experiences I’m not sure I’ll ever run out of things to write about. It’s how I process my feelings.
BY: You are doing an upcoming headline show in June, what about that experience are you most excited for?
DM: I am so excited to play the Moroccan lounge on the 13th of June because I love the energy of live shows and I haven’t played for so long. I am working with a great band who I’m also so excited to play with as we’ve never played together before. It’s going to be a special show!
BY: Lastly, what do you hope listeners take away from The Bird?
DM: I hope that they hear the honesty and vulnerability in the music and I hope they come away from listening to it feeling uplifted and seen and heard.
Listen to Delilah Montagu here!
