Brittany Howard Discusses “Stay High” on “Song Exploder”: Listen

Quinn Moreland

Brittany Howard is the latest guest on “Song Exploder,” the podcast hosted by Thao Nguyen where artists break down their songs. The Alabama Shakes frontwoman discussed “Stay High” off her upcoming solo debut Jaime. Hear the episode below.

“I knew immediately [the lyrics] were supposed to juxtapose how dreamy and playful and innocent and childlike the music was, like, to me the music is like sunlight,“ Howard explains, noting that she wrote the song in a sweltering greenhouse during a burst of inspiration.

“And then I wanted for the lyrics to sound more corrupted like the voice that’s speaking has lived life and they’re saying ‘Yeah, I work hard all day, yeah, this is how life is, I can’t ever get over the hump. However, I’m going home to my family at the end of the day and this is what makes me keep trying and keep working and I’m cool with that.”

Read Pitchfork’s new feature interview “Brittany Howard on Her Solo Debut, Her Black Heroes, and Owning Her Greatness.”

See the video.

Originally Appeared on Pitchfork