Delaney Bailey shares Wake Up — a new single about self-reliance and mental health
New single Wake Up explores anxiety and inner dialogue
Delaney Bailey has released her new single Wake Up, an atmospheric, electronically tinged ballad out now via AWAL. The Chicago songwriter leans into glistening synths, tender harmonies, and subtle autotune textures as she examines the internal struggle of realising that no one else can fix what’s going on inside.
Explaining the meaning behind the track, Delaney Bailey said: “Wake Up is a song I wrote about realizing no one is coming to save you. I’ve dealt with depression and anxiety for most of my life, and living on my own for the first time has highlighted the areas of myself that I now know need a lot of work. I’ve come to realize no one is going to change the voice in your head except for yourself. No amount of encouragement from others will change your brain chemistry. I tend to let myself sit in bouts of depression for much longer than I should, and Wake Up is essentially an affirmation that I can and will get myself out of that hole.”
The single is accompanied by an official visualiser.
Earlier this summer, Bailey released Lion, a cinematic single paired with a stylised official video that marked a shift toward more empowered sonic terrain. It followed a string of acclaimed independent releases including Chiaroscuro EP (2024), what we leave behind EP (2023), and breakout track j’s lullaby (darlin’i’d wait for you), which has now surpassed 128 million streams.
image of Delaney Bailey courtesy Alexa Viscus
