The four girls in Calaisa are ready to demonstrate that the pop sensibilities of Scandinavia and the musical traditions of Tennessee are perfect partners. Especially when you add some Celtic instrumentation and the experience of two pairs of sisters, who prove that the group that plays together stays together.
It’s there to be heard on ‘Hey Girl,’ the first single from a self-titled debut album that will establish Lisa, Caisa, Anna, Malin and their custom-made Calaisa sound, which marries confident songwriting, golden harmonies and instruments like the violin and accordion.
That song is also a great example of the great songwriting cohesion and amazing teamwork that exists between the four members of the group, developed and honed during many years of creating music together. “Sometimes,” says Caisa, “one of us comes up with an idea of maybe a chorus, takes that to the other girls, and we make it into a Calaisa song. Together we’ll add an intro, an outro, a bridge or whatever. ‘Hey Girl’ was one of those songs.”
The album is the result of the girls’ absolute determination to make their way in the record business, and a refusal to take no for an answer that lured them from Sweden, onto the concert roads through Ireland and Poland, and on again to the USA and Nashville.
When they got there, it turned out the man who was absolutely knocked out by their charm as writers and performers just happened to be the head of Universal Music Nashville. Cue record deal, an album cut in just five weeks and a sound already being hailed as the perfect mixture of the Corrs and the Dixie Chicks, with plenty of personality that’s all Calaisa.
“We come from musicians’s families, so our parents taught us a lot about instruments and music,” says Lisa. “I started the band and asked my little sister Caisa to join, and we started to play on the streets to earn money. When I went to music school I met Anna, who plays the violin, and she joined the band. After that, Anna’s sister Malin joined [soon learning to play the accordion] and we became the real Calaisa.”
Lisa was just 14 when she had that brainwave about busking. It not only made her an obvious candidate for young businesswoman of the year, it was the ideal way to try out Calaisa’s early songs and find out what the girls were made of.
“Busking is the best,” enthuses Malin. “It’s fabulous to stand on the street and see how the crowd gets bigger and bigger. It’s the greatest test, because if you can’t make it on the street, you can’t make it anywhere, that’s how we feel. It’s a great place to practice the music and learn new songs. Instead of sitting home, you can practice together and with an audience, and people don’t expect it to be anything. It’s so great to see the reaction. ‘Wait, four girls, playing, singing! This is fun.’”
Through that early experience, Calaisa’s music began to evolve and mature. “We started playing really traditional Irish music,” says Caisa, “then added a few more instruments, and along the way it became more pop and country, because we found some great influences.” Those include not only the Dixie Chicks but Dolly Parton, via Sheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell, the Indigo Girls and the Rankin Family all the way to the Beatles, Sting and fellow Swedes the Cardigans.
After honing their performance skills by touring in Ireland and Poland, the time came for Calaisa to create their own destiny.
“After we tried to get a record deal in Sweden, we decided to take this in our own hands,” says Anna. “So we saved our money for a year and booked our tickets to New York, rented a car and went to Memphis and Atlanta and Nashville and played on the streets and pubs. This man [who turned out to be bluegrass artist Jonathan McEuen] came up to us and told us ‘You have to meet my producer, you should have a huge record deal.’
“So we went to his studio and out came ten men! We started to play and we had no clue who they were, or what they were doing there. We played a couple of songs, the guy said ‘I want to hear more,’ and after that he said ‘I want to sign you.’
“What we didn’t know was that the man in the middle of the crowd was the big producer and record label chairman James Stroud [the head of Universal Music Nashville]. We’d been playing seven songs and telling him the whole story of Calaisa without knowing. He said ‘Don’t even leave the room. You’re staying with us.’”
And they did. After a visit home to work on new songs (“and get a manager and a lawyer!”), Calaisa recorded their debut album in just five weeks. “It was the best experience we’ve ever had,” says Malin. “We could record in the best studios with the best musicians and producers. We had so much fun.”
The results will be with you soon, and the quality of the music runs in the family. Two families, in fact. “Since we’re two sets of sisters, we have voices that really go together,” concludes Lisa. “This year we really want to travel around the world and play our music.”
Never Lookin' Back
Calaisa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Worrying' my life away
Got in the middle to deep
Made a couple promises I couldn't keep
I've got my regrets
Some days I like to forget
But you make your breaks
Lookin' back, it couldn't be clearer
No future in the rearview mirror
I can wish my life away
But I'd rather live right now, today
Tell me something you can't borrow
I'm staking my claim on tomorrow
I like who I am, and where I'm at
And I'm never lookin' back.
Got dreams that I'm gonna chase
I might fall flat on my face
But isn't that what life's about
Either hit a homerun or you strike out
When I turn out the lights
I don't lay awake at nights
'Cause I'm okay
And tomorrow's a new day
Lookin' back, it couldn't be clearer
No future in the rearview mirror
I can wish my life away
But I'd rather live right now, today
Tell me something you can't borrow
I'm staking my claim on tomorrow
I like who I am, and where I'm at
And I'm never lookin' back.
I'm not perfect, but I try to get it right
Take it one day at the time, every minute of my life.
Lookin' back, it could't be clearer
No future in the rearview mirror
I can wish my life away
But I'd rather live right now, today
Tell me something you can't borrow
I'm staking my claim on tomorrow
I like who I am, and where I'm at
I like who I am, and where I'm at
And I'm never lookin' back.
"Never Lookin' Back" by Calaisa is a song that encourages listeners to move past their regrets and not dwell on their past mistakes. The song speaks of personal growth and the importance of living in the present moment while also aspiring for a better future. The lyrics convey a sense of self-assurance and determination to pursue one's dreams despite the fear of failure.
The first verse talks about the singer's past struggles and worries, admitting to making promises she couldn't keep. However, she realizes that holding onto her regrets hinders her from moving forward. She recognizes that it's important to take chances, even if it means failing, in order to grow and achieve her dreams. The chorus emphasizes that one should live in the present moment and focus on building a better future rather than dwelling on the past. The second verse speaks of how the singer's newfound outlook has given her peace of mind, and she's confident in her ability to navigate life's challenges.
Overall, "Never Lookin' Back" is a song with a deeply inspiring and uplifting message. It encourages the listener to embrace their past mistakes and use them as a learning opportunity to create a better future for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Spent a lot of yesterdays
I have spent a lot of time dwelling on the past.
Worrying' my life away
My preoccupation with the past has caused me a lot of anxiety.
Got in the middle to deep
I have found myself in situations that were beyond my control.
Made a couple promises I couldn't keep
I have made commitments that I was not able to follow through on.
I've got my regrets
I have things in my past that I wish I had done differently.
Some days I like to forget
There are times when the memories of my past are too painful to bear.
But you make your breaks
The circumstances of my life are largely determined by the choices I make.
And laugh at your mistakes
It is important to have a sense of humor about one's own shortcomings and failures.
Lookin' back, it couldn't be clearer
In retrospect, it is obvious where my mistakes were made.
No future in the rearview mirror
I cannot change the past, and so I should focus on the present and the future.
I can wish my life away
It is pointless to dwell on the past and hope for things that are impossible to obtain.
But I'd rather live right now, today
I am choosing to focus on the present and make the most of my current circumstances.
Tell me something you can't borrow
There are certain things in life that cannot be acquired through material possessions or monetary means.
I'm staking my claim on tomorrow
I am investing in the future and hoping for good things to come.
I like who I am, and where I'm at
I am content with the person I have become and the current state of my life.
And I'm never lookin' back.
I am committed to moving forward and leaving the past behind.
Got dreams that I'm gonna chase
I have aspirations that I am working to achieve.
I might fall flat on my face
There is a risk of failure when pursuing one's dreams.
But isn't that what life's about
Taking risks and overcoming challenges is an essential part of the human experience.
Either hit a homerun or you strike out
Success and failure are both possible outcomes when pursuing one's goals.
When I turn out the lights
At the end of the day, when I am alone with my thoughts,
I don't lay awake at nights
I am not kept awake by regrets or worries.
'Cause I'm okay
I am content with the person I am and the life I am living.
And tomorrow's a new day
I have the opportunity to start fresh every day and build the life I want.
I'm not perfect, but I try to get it right
I recognize that I am flawed, but I am committed to self-improvement.
Take it one day at the time, every minute of my life.
I am focusing on living in the present moment and making the most of my time.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEITH FOLLESE, ADRIENNE FOLLESE, CHRIS LINDSEY, AIMEE MAYO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Monstercat
Never Looking Back!
@pqiojsqdklnads3861
Lmao MONSTERCAT is late to their own upload
@Norbod
+Monstercat Never looking back at Muffin's shitty puns.
@WhiteEagle-gm9gr
+Monstercat You can say that again :-)
@humbertoalves2819
+Monstercat If my like is at your back you wont see it T_T
@SkylordGuillaume
looks back
@pabou1470
After I discovered the creativity and originality of electronic music, I'm never looking back to repetitive and desperate pop music again. Monstercat is where music happens.
@GavinHubner
Yaaaasssss well said
@inn0version727
amen brotha
@g1mmegreen
enough said