• News

• All

May 31, 2023 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Katherine Emery

Folk singer/songwriter Caroline Cotter debuted in 2015 with her record Dreaming As I Do, followed by her 2018 sophomore effort, Home on the River. She finished recording her third full-length record, Gently As I Go, at the beginning of 2020, but with the onset of the pandemic, she couldn’t find the motivation to share the album with the world. Instead, she’s spent that time waiting and growing ever more connected to her latest effort as its themes of travel, connection, nostalgia, and growing up became even more meaningful.

Today, along with news of the album, Cotter is back with an early listen to the record’s lead single, “Don’t Wait,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Don’t Wait” is a lovely reintroduction to Cotter’s charming songwriting and honeyed vocal stylings. Sweet and sunlit acoustic instrumentation accompanies Cotter’s plaintive soprano, giving the track a pastoral sheen and spotlighting its earnest lyricism. Cotter brings forth an abiding sense of warmth and welcome, offering an uplifting reminder to make the most of every moment. As Cotter describes, the track is“....a reminder that we have in our power the ability to take action and create our present and future.”

Cotter began writing “Don’t Wait” as a word of encouragement to a friend, but its message quickly became personal as well. Now it is “a song for all of us who put off creating our lives to the fullest,” Cotter says. “We really do already have all that we need. And yet, without confidence, our fullest life can appear murky or completely out of reach.”

Check out the song below, along with our introductory Q&A with Cotter. You can also pre-save the song here prior to its June 2nd release. Gently As I Go is out everywhere on August 18th.

What is the story behind this song? What prompted you to write it?

I wrote “Don’t Wait” as part of a song-a-week challenge. For six weeks, the songs were due every Wednesday, and, ironically, I wrote and handed in “Don’t Wait” a day late, on the following Thursday. That morning, I was thumbing through “The Artist’s Way,” looking for some motivation for myself and some inspiration for a writer friend of mine. I wrote this song for both of us, and for anyone else who needs it.

How did the song come together, both musically and lyrically?

This was one of those songs that came out in the moment, in one sitting. I can’t really describe the process, just to say that I was playing, writing, and singing simultaneously, and this is what came out.

What is this song’s message? What do you hope it conveys?

We’ve really only got the present. It’s tempting to think that things will be better for us when any number of wishes come true, that “the grass is greener” over yonder. To me, “Don’t Wait” serves as an important reminder that this, right now, is it.

Speaking of messages, what overarching themes or messages are throughout the album, overall? How does this song fit in among them?

The album is filled with themes of nostalgia, revisiting or reflecting on loss and pain, acknowledging the upset and the challenge, and gently moving on from this new place, changed, stronger, and, ultimately, grateful for all of it. “Don’t Wait” is a reminder to take advantage of the present moment, regardless of all of the baggage, doubts, or fears that may be holding us back.

How do you describe your music to people who have not heard it before?

My music is a cathartic expression of my life experience. It’s simple, direct, and from the heart; lyric-focused and story-based, nostalgic and evocative. I hope that my music is moving, calming, and, ultimately, uplifting.