Summerlyn Powers is an old soul who warmly welcomes listeners into her world on a new five-song EP, The Hive (due out October 6th via Kind Blue Eyes Music). Her stories of loss, love, faith, and friendship meld “the fun and the groove” of the southern rock she heard growing up in Fairhope, Alabama — Creedence Clearwater Revival, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, among others — with the “thoughtfulness” of Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and other folk singer-songwriters of the 1970s.
“This record is accommodating for moments of peace and thoughtfulness,” Powers says, praising her band (guitarist Jackson Anderson, bassist Tom Davis, drummer Cole Pomeroy, and fiddler and pianist Cole Ritter) and producer, Reid Sorel, “but also, it opens up and just allows you to have a great time.”
Today Glide is premiering the soft and soulful folk tune “Healing Like I Am,” a thoughtful meditation on breaking up that will resonate with anyone who has ever gotten out of a serious relationship. With intricate strings and rich harmonies, the song brings to mind a 50s love song that is sure to warm the listener with its heartfelt emotion and honest reflection.
Listen to the track and read our chat with Summerlyn Powers below…
What was the inspiration behind this song? What prompted you to write it, and what is the story behind it?
“Healing Like I Am” was inspired by my first-ever breakup. I sat at my keyboard processing my feelings, and this song flowed out. I remember just wanting to wish him well, but of course we weren’t talking at that point. I ended up using this song as a sort of meaningful “get well” letter that I knew I couldn’t send. The chorus lyric says it clear as day: “Can’t talk so I’ll sing it, I hope you’re healing like I am.”
What do you hope listeners take away from hearing the song? What do you hope its message is?
I hope listeners walk away with a sense of gentleness in their hearts. Whether it’s towards someone they hurt, someone who hurt them, or both, I hope they find a new-found grace in this song. The message is really about wanting the best for someone. Of course, it’s a lot easier to do that when your ex is a kind person who things just didn’t work out with, but there should be songs for that situation just like there are revenge-breakup anthems. Now that I think of it, “Healing Like I Am” might be the anti-revenge breakup song.
What kind of vibe were you going for on this song? Did it end up sounding exactly like you’d imagined it would before you recorded it, or did it go down a different path and sound quite different from what you expected? How was it the same, or different?
This song was one on the EP that went a totally different direction than I initially expected. I had always just played it acoustic, but when my producer, Reid Sorel, and the band got ahold of it, a ’50s love song groove was born. And I LOVE the irony in that.
How does this song fit in among the others on the EP?
This song fits on the project as a reflective place to rest. It’s mixed in with several upbeat songs, so it’s great to have a song that feels especially intimate to who I am. I hope that this song helps listeners get to know me as an artist, and I have a feeling it will be one that people connect to the most. I hope it brings healing to everybody who listens, breakup or not.
What is coming up for you in the next few months?
In the next few months, I’ll be touring to promote the EP, with a third single coming out in September! I am so, SO excited for people to start listening to this music, and hopefully loving on it as I have. It’s been an amazing journey so far.
