Singer-songwriter Mystee has released her latest summer single, “deep end.” Inspired by artists like Big Thief, Soccer Mommy, and Phoebe Bridgers, Mystee bends the lines of genre with “deep end,” combining glittery guitar lines and soft vocals with punk ethos.
“Deep end” is a celebration of the strength that it takes to pull yourself out of hard times and come out stronger on the other side. Heavily influenced by her experiences with risk-taking in skate park culture, the song is something of a triumph over failing relationships and personal demons.
“I wrote this song at a time when skating was the only thing left in my life. Music was almost a distant memory in the depths of the pandemic, and learning to take risks like dropping into a deep bowl on roller skates was the only thing keeping myself going,” recalls Mystee. “At the time, I was struggling with a failing relationship and a slew of self-doubt to the point where I felt like I was drowning in all of it. This track stares that feeling in the face and challenges it.”
The tracks feature music, lyrics, vocal performance, and rhythm guitar by Ilana Held, engineering, production, lead guitar, drums, bass, and synths by Chris Donelan, and mastering by Dave Locke. Mystee released her first two tracks, ‘cold coffee’ and ‘hurricane martin’ in October 2021 and has more singles in the works.
Boston-born and Cardiff-bred, Mystee is the solo project of singer-songwriter and seasoned front woman Ilana Held. Drawing inspiration from love and loss in the face of a long spree of bad luck, Held weaves an American folk mentality into her hook-laden indie-pop music.
