Matthew Patania LA-via-Toronto singer/songwriter Abby Sage grew up watching her father perform at various clubs around Toronto and has since become enchanted by the magic of the stage and crowd, eventually leading her to create something of her own. Having first begun writing and recording tracks with her father, Abby went on to release her music to SoundCloud in secret —that is until she accidentally released a track publicly. The following morning her phone was flooded with messages, and like an act of divine intervention, Abby says, “it’s what sparked the confidence to keep going.”
A few years later, during one of her trips back to her hometown, Abby connected with a group of producers through a mutual family friend. Following a successful test run in the studio, Abby and producer Jeff Hazin (glaive, renforshort, Anna Sofia), continued their creative partnership. After a year of isolation and writing, Abby had hundreds of songs to sift through with Jeff in Toronto, and eventually, the two narrowed it down to the six that make up her newly announced EP, Fears of Yours & Mine. The EP is a chill-wave journey with deeper nods to indie, bedroom pop, and soul. It’s pure, sonic bliss from start to finish.
Along with this announcement comes Abby’s new single, “Wasting Away.” The soft-spun acoustic number hints at the loss of self that happens when you’re emotionally stretched too thin. As Abby describes it, “it’s like choosing your vices over choosing someone that loves you.” It’s the quietest moment on the EP and spotlights Abby’s songwriting roots, which all started with a purple Martin guitar gifted to her by her dad. It’s where her process usually begins, and on “Wasting Away,” it provides a soft, plucked foundation for Abby’s storytelling.
Introspective and poignant, “Wasting Away” explores one’s inability to commit to a relationship, as their own feelings begin to take precedence over another’s. The line “You’re running while I hit the brakes,” proves this. As Abby’s partner wishes to further the relationship, Abby finds herself at a crossroads, and decides the only way to move “forward,” is to do the exact opposite. “Keep me in your mind I swear / Maybe sometime I’ll get there,” sings Abby as she offers a ray of hope to the other, in an effort to keep it all from going to waste.
Abby begins to question her own motives as she sees her misdirection cloud the vision of her lover. Trying to make sense of where things stand, Abby speaks of regret as she realizes the relationship is headed in the wrong direction. As her own mind begins to go up in flames, Abby feels that pursuing the relationship would only add fuel to the fire, therefore leaving her no choice but to “waste away.”
If we spend all our days waiting on someone to bring us flowers, when all they can offer is soil, we best plant ourselves a garden and make the best of it.
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