Bow Anderson - 'Mama Said'
Portobello powerhouse Bow Anderson is proving again that the Scot’s do it best with her newest single ‘Mama Said’. This Edinburgh singer-songwriter with fans such as Ella Eyre, Jack Savoretti and Nina Nesbitt is truly on the brink of hitting it big.
You’ll know her from her track ‘20s’ which took over social media in December, racking up a million views not even a month after previewing it on her Tik-Tok page and some 4 million streams a month into its Spotify release. ‘Mama Said’ which she wrote with good friend Jamie Scott (@ jsbaylin on instagram) follows up on the themes of existential angst and the pressures of youth she expressed in her last hit, but in a more quietly powerful and heartfelt way.
The track speaks to the idea of inner strength and turning adversity into a point of inspiration and power. Keen to stand on her own two feet, in the opening verse Anderson explains:
‘I’ll tell you now what the world needs is a brand new me. I wanna fly away somewhere high where I know you won’t be.’
Self-assured and with a gentle confidence, she talks about wanting to escape a lover who does not recognise her worth. She was raised to be strong and live as her authentic and true self and when she is with a partner who does not see her as his equal, she looks for a way out. The chorus continues this strength as she continues:
‘Cause my mama told me to be gracious and outrageous and never sell your heart to nobody for money babe’.
The message is incredibly refreshing in the current music scene where unfortunately so much of what is popular is about seeking approval and love from others. Anderson instead recognises that she is enough as she is and gives herself permission to want more. She comes to understand that leaving a toxic relationship which was putting her in a really dark space mentally while rubbish and painful in the moment has helped her to grow as a person. She writes the song with a greater understanding and appreciation of the importance of self-love and dedicates the track not only to her mum who she wishes she had listened to earlier but also all those who are currently trying to overcome something in their lives.
The single comes only a few weeks after Anderson has been on tour with Tom Walker. There’s no doubt that a great deal of hard work goes into everything she puts out into the world; despite this track having been released Anderson is still busy working hard in the world famous Abbey Road Studio with the promise of more music to come. Her positive mentality shines through her work and when watching her perform it is clear she has not only an incredible talent but a real passion and love for what she does. With projects like Barn on the Farm on the horizon and plans to release and gig more over the summer in the pipelines, we are beyond excited to see what comes next for Anderson.
Words by Kirsty Thomson
