2018 marked McDell’s return with an independently-released record that celebrates her musical roots and the sounds of her upbringing. This new recorded project came together between Auckland, New Zealand and Nashville, Tennessee where she recorded the tracks with Australian award-winner producer Nash Chambers. The record features a hearty cast of country music legends including Kasey Chambers, Bill Chambers and Tami Neilson.
It was the music of her childhood that would form the fundamental elements of what excited her about songwriting the most - an honest vocal, lots of acoustic guitar and deep storytelling. At age 7, while living aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean, when McDell wrote her first song. On that yacht lived a small collection of her parents’ favourite tapes, including albums by Jimmy Buffett, John Denver and James Taylor, which the young McDell formed a particularly strong bond with. She fondly remembers watching her parents perform Jimmy Buffett duets - and occasionally chiming in, learning how to harmonize vocally with her mother. An eager learner, McDell picked up the guitar after studying her fathers’ John Denver chord book collection and has never looked back.
In March 2017, McDell booked a trip to Nashville for a change of scenery and to connect with the environment that birthed the country/folk music of her youth. There she wrote the songs that would make up the fabric for her upcoming record.
Later that year, twelve songs (written solely by McDell) were recorded in two days with full band at House Of Blues, Studio D in Nashville, with Chambers at the helm. Recording this way would boil up feelings of nostalgia for McDell, who’s very first recording experience took place at Auckland’s York Street studios in the same vein.
“This is the closest thing I’ve done to a live record,” McDell says. “I enjoy playing and singing in the same room as everyone, recording full takes, celebrating the liveliness of the players and accepting mistakes or imperfections as a special and important part of the body of work.”
On this new record, McDell’s vocals are the most raw and vulnerable they have ever been - powerful and honest - and reflect her core listening inspirations which include Patty Griffin and Alison Krauss. Her Margaritaville-infused childhood sneaks through in humorous lines like “scared of looking crazy, she opens up a bottle of wine, forgets about her baby and looks to have a hell of a time.”
This new album also marks McDell’s second independent release since going independent from 2016 - the first being a debut album, written/performed with her younger sister Tessa as Dunes. This record has been personally hand-crafted from the ground up, with McDell overseeing everything from the writing, creation, promotion and release. She also creates the visual artwork herself, as a graphic designer by day.
Putting the overall feeling of the album into words isn’t easy, but McDell reflects on the personal challenge of leaving the comfort of home to write something that was honest and true.
“Nashville was me getting out of my comfort zone and finding my way back to it. I like to write songs quickly and alone and quite frankly when I feel like it, and I think being away from home helped me get back to that headspace,”
“The listener is getting a sincerely true collection of stories that haven’t been tampered with since they were written. They are exactly what I felt like saying/singing at the time - raw, unpolished
and deeply honest.”
One Step Behind
Jamie McDell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shining so bright I can't see, woah
And I'm losing the strength that I had
When I told you that this was the end, no
And I'm only one step from goodbye
But I …
I can't let you go
As hard as I try
To say goodbye
I'm one step behind
It gets so hard when the sun shines
I remember us watching the tides
So close to losing my mind, woah
And I'm losing the logic I had
When I told you that this was the end, no
And I'm only one step from goodbye
But I …
I can't let you go
You are my home
As hard as I try
To say goodbye
I'm one step behind
I'm one step behind
So far away I don't know what you are to me
So far away I don't know what you are to me
I can't let you go
You are my home
As hard as I try
To say goodbye
I'm one step behind
So far away I don't know what you are to me
The song "One Step Behind" by Jamie McDell is a beautiful ballad that speaks to the difficulty of letting go of a relationship that has ended. The lyrics of the song express the feelings of the singer as she reminisces about the past and tries to come to terms with the fact that the relationship is over. She feels lost in a memory, hoping that her partner will find her, but at the same time, she is losing the strength she had when she decided to end the relationship. She knows that she is only one step away from saying goodbye, but she can't find the courage to do it.
Throughout the song, McDell uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convey the emotions of the singer. In the first verse, she sings about shining so bright that she can't see, which could represent the intense emotions that the singer is feeling. She also speaks about watching the tides and being close to losing her mind, which could be interpreted as a reference to the volatility of the relationship. In the chorus, McDell sings about not being able to let go of her partner because they are her home, and how hard it is for her to say goodbye, which suggests that despite the difficulties, the relationship still means a lot to her.
Overall, "One Step Behind" is a powerful and emotional song that deals with the themes of loss, regret, and the struggle to move on from a relationship that has ended. The lyrics are poignant and relatable, and the melody is beautifully crafted, making it a standout track on Jamie McDell's album.
Line by Line Meaning
Lost in a memory hoping you'll find me
Feeling nostalgic about the past and hoping that the person she's addressing will come back into her life.
Shining so bright I can't see, woah
The memories of the past are so vivid that it's blinding her to the present situation.
And I'm losing the strength that I had
When I told you that this was the end, no
Although she had decided to end the relationship in the past, now she's losing her resolve.
And I'm only one step from goodbye
But I …
She's on the verge of ending things for good, but something is holding her back.
I can't let you go
You are my home
As hard as I try
To say goodbye
I'm one step behind
She can't bring herself to end the relationship because she feels like the other person is her home, even though she knows it's best to let them go.
It gets so hard when the sun shines
I remember us watching the tides
So close to losing my mind, woah
The happy memories of the past are painful because it makes it harder for her to let go, and she feels like she's going crazy.
And I'm losing the logic I had
When I told you that this was the end, no
She's feeling confused and conflicted about her decision to end things because she's still in love with the other person.
So far away I don't know what you are to me
The person she's addressing is physically distant, and she's not sure what their relationship means to her anymore.
Contributed by Adalyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chelsea Callaghan
That was so beautiful. I just want to listen to it over and over again. you are so gifted
Linking Nightcore
Your voice just seems to change entirely from when you’re speaking and when you start to sing.
Ali Nasaruddin Bin Alias
Awesome Voice♥♥♥♥
Naterz-wynx
You're real, that's rare... Keep it up :) If I had to explain your sound to someone that's never heard of you... 3 words, New Zealand's Taylor Swift.
Shani Rose
I love this video and all of them :)
Ella Rose
You're amazing Jamie and real :D -3 I could (and do) listen to you all day :) -3 -3 -3 -3 -3
Lillie Blackwood
Luv ur songs!
Sumoz Panda
love it
Megannenz
beautiful song :)
Sergio Canalini
James per sei un angelo venuto dal paradiso per tutti noi gente comune. Perché suoni molto bene hai un'armonia incantevole . Grazie mille ciao.