This past year, singer-songwriter Taylor Janzen has been making waves with her phenomenal singles and live shows. She received coverage from the likes of NYLON, Ones To Watch, and SPIN for “Something Better” and “Push it Down,” which she released during the second half of last year. After such tremendous support, Taylor then hit the road with X Ambassadors and Del Water Gap, delivering the same honesty and passion in her songs to those who came out and caught her in action. It is all leading up to the release of her debut album this fall, but first, Taylor is dropping another irresistible single “Designated Driver.”
A vibrant indie pop monologue, “Designated Driver” finds Taylor ruminating about relationships and support systems. Over engaging guitar and illustrious percussion, she sings, “I want to hold onto everything / But my God, now who has the energy? / You put your trust in a daydream / Cause you love this dying part of me,” unsure of how she is perceived. Her vocals truly shine in the bridge when she sings, “I don’t know what I’m feeling / When the highs make me dizzy / You hold your patience / I’ll only waste it.” You can check it out below.
Sharing more about the single, Taylor explains,
“‘Designated Driver’ is about a fear of failure in your relationships. The fear that everyone you love has made a mistake by placing their trust in you. I wrote it when I was thinking about how my friends will make fun of my driving (I am notoriously an overly cautious and anxious driver), yet for some reason, they will still trust me to get them home safe when they’re drunk. This song is pretty much my internal anxious monologue, convincing myself that the people around me will one day realize that they don’t like me anymore.
I think that one of the most powerful kinds of friendships are the ones that continue to believe in you when you think that the best parts of you have died. In times where I have felt chaotic and awful and like I am letting everyone around me down, I have always been able to find solace in a support system.”
You can listen to “Designated Driver” on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
Pre-order Taylor’s debut album, I Live in Patterns, here.
Keep up with Taylor Janzen: Instagram // Twitter // Facebook // YouTube // Website
