Stay is the raw, potent, and deeply personal new single from Paul Jarmer, a Minnesota-based singer/songwriter and producer known for his blend of acoustic and electric textures with sharp, lyric-driven songwriting. A meditation on the loss of his mother, Paul's latest release is one of the most beautifully stitched-together pieces of music I've heard all year. Intimate yet expansive, bruised yet pristine, there's sorrow in every corner of Stay, and a profound honesty in every word Paul delivers.
Recorded at The Terrarium and working alongside Jason Orris, Paul concocts a warm, organic, and heartbreakingly lived-in soundscape. You almost get the feeling you're witnessing it live - a compliment I rarely hand out for a tune recorded in a studio - but that is the power of Stay.
Beneath the grief of his mother's passing sits another raw chapter of the musician's life: his recovery from addiction. From substance abuse and homelessness to mental health work and recovery, Paul's mom remained a crucial presence.
In Stay, Paul tells his mother that he finally got sober - a promise he'd made to her. It's truly powerful stuff, and showcases an artist speaking his absolute truth, leaning fully into the frayed, unvarnished reality of his journey. Genius!
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