Writing a long song with Civil Wray

Sparkle. It’s exactly what Civil Wray does on her brand-new single, appropriately entitled “Sparkle”.  Civil Wray, the nom de plume of Toronto singer songwriter Andrea de Boer, worked with producer Matt DeMatteo (Danko Jones, Big Wreck, Ashley MacIsaac) in creating an ethereal, dreampop song, that may remind listeners of artists like Fiona Apple, David Bowie, and Tame Impala. It’s a song about existential loss and the redemptive power of love. “Sparkle”is the first release from Civil Wray’s upcoming 5-song EP and is available January 20, 2023 on Apple Music, Spotify, and at civilwraymusic.com.

Andrea shared the process behind her song Sparkle. Download the lyrics to follow along.

We talked about:

• Our previous guests who have been nominated for Junos in 2023: Kirk Diamond, Julian Taylor, and Amanda Sum. Congratulations to you all!
• Streaming vs. CDs — Who Wins? Disc Makers Blog
• Writing from the heart vs. from the head
• How Andrea’s experience as a classical violinist informs her melodies and songs
• Starting songs with recording your improvisations
• Ways to co-write effectively
• The factors that go into a “long” song
• Writing lyrics that are open to interpretation