Hello everyone and Happy New Years! I have a very special post today. Most of you know that I graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a commercial songwriting degree, and that during my four years there I met many talented people. One of them I am going to write about today is Mulan. I have known Mulan for a few years now and have had the privilege to work beside her on student organizations and perform with her on songwriting rounds. Mulan has released a new EP called Til I Start Feeling Alone. It is a very personal and emotional album about how relationships do not turn out how you hope they would. For this blog I am going to talk a little bit about each of the five songs.
The first song on the EP is called Sirens which was written by Mulan, produced by Mulan and Gina Brooklyn, and mixed and mastered by Joshua Rooks. I love the introduction to this song because the lyrics have so much imagery and storytelling to them: “I was told many years ago don’t trust a snake when it’s laying out in the cold. You’ll bring him in then cry when you get bit while everyone looks away because they know that’s what you get.” The metaphor to this is so unique but I think it’s something many people can relate too. Wanting to trust someone even though their reputation isn’t the greatest and then having everyone say they told you so when the person’s true colors are shown. I think the production of this song is also very well done and that the instrumentation and vocals complement the lyrics.
Next song is called U, written by Mulan and Brendon Donoho, produced by Lamont Landers, Mulan, and Dave Tough, and mastered by Joshua Rooks and mixed by Tyler Norris. Guitar played by John Willis and drums, bass, and keys by Dave Tough. When I first heard this song I instantly fell in love with it. The instruments are so amazing and I love the R&B feel to it. Mulan’s vocals sound so angelic, especially when she sings the high notes. This song also has great lyrics: “So I get high again cause there’s nothing left to do. And I sleep on the left side of the bed cause it still smells like you.” I love how Mulan and Brendan used the word “left” twice in this line. I think it’s so clever because they have different meanings but keep the line connected.
The third song is called The Land Beyond The Woods which was written by Mulan, produced by Mulan and Gina Brookyln, and mixed and mastered by Joshua Rooks. This song is definitely the most personal song on the album. Mulan was sexually abused and raped repeatedly when she was only fourteen years old, and raped again her first semester at college. Throughout Mulan’s life people have called her unpleasant names and she has been misunderstood by so many people. Mulan says that this song is: “about wishing that [she] could undo the past, therefore undoing the need to distance [herself] from everyone [she] falls for, and therefore changing the reputation that others decided [about her] based on things they knew nothing about.” This song is heartbreakingly beautiful. Heartbreaking because no one should ever have to go through this. I think the piano throughout the song is so delicate and is a perfect motif of the whole idea behind the song. If you listen closely you can hear Mulan’s backup vocals throughout the song and it just adds so much more emotion to the song because it’s her yelling out for help but being drowned out by other people’s thoughts. The lyrics are so raw and honest, especially the line: “Cause I’m the villain in everyone’s story, just a lonely heartbreaker that’s all I’ll ever be.” Even though this song is very sad it is the truth and so many people can relate to this. Not all songs are about everything in life being rainbows and butterflies. Many people are raped in their lifetime and it’s a hard topic to talk about, but the more we do the less people will feel alone.
The next song is called Til I Start Feeling Alone. The song was written by Mulan and Anna Vinson, piano by Mulan, recorded and mixed by Dave Tough, and mastered by Joshua Rooks. This is another very powerful song about wanting to be on your own but then having conflicting feelings of being alone. I love how simplistic this song is with just the vocals and piano. It makes it sound more personal like she was singing in her bedroom. The lyrics also sound like something straight from her diary: “I still getting haunted by the ghost that once said ‘I’ll make love to thin air and pretend someone cares for me.’” I also think Mulan’s vocals sound amazing during the bridge; you can really feel the emotion that she has for the song.
The final song on Mulan’s album is a live acoustic version of The Land Beyond The Woods. I love this version because Mulan’s voice sounds so amazing and the guitar goes so well with her voice.
Overall, I love this EP because of how real it is and I applaud Mulan for being so strong to share her struggles with the world. I think we need more music like this to show everyone that it’s ok if you are not perfect and have a past, because really everyone does and we should not be judging people based on that. I hope you listen to Mulan’s music and if you have any requests on who I should do next let me know in the comments!