With universally vulnerable lyrics and slick production that complements both his storytelling and his youthful energy, Malachi Gagnon’s “Without You” will steal your attention and your heart. If you haven’t heard of Malachi until now, get ready to see him everywhere – he’s on the road to viral superstardom at just 15, and the only way is up for his impact and talent.
“‘Without You’ represents the feeling I think all of us feel when we love someone and don’t want to lose that person,” Malachi tells TREMG. “We all have people in our life we don’t want to live without. I hope this song gives words to those feelings.”
Initially slated for a September 30th release – which Malachi postponed to raise awareness of the impact of Hurricane Ian on his home state of Florida – fans can also look forward to an upcoming “Without You” music video that sees the singer performing the song in the middle of colorful LED lights, alongside a live band. What we’ve seen so far is fairly laidback, letting the song and its story be the main focus while still offering a vibrant flair.
“My producer’s friend has this warehouse in the middle of Tampa… and we just covered that place in LED lights,” Malachi shares. “I knew I wanted a dark setting with myself performing, and the video came to life! I have such a great team dreaming up these ideas with me.”
With just three songs released so far, Malachi is already proving himself to be one of the rising young stars you need on your radar. He intertwines thoughtful sentiments with such a unique energy that makes it impossible not to love his art and personality. It’s mature without taking itself too seriously, and fun while still delivering emotional depth and range.
“Each month that passes, I feel like I become more and more of the artist I hope to be,” he explains. “I’ve learned that not every song comes together the same. Some songs you labor hours over and other songs you write in minutes. I’ve learned it’s hard work. Hours and hours of voice lessons, studio time, writing time, guitar and piano practice, and many other things. I’ve also learned, being true to who you are will always take you further than pretending to be someone you’re not.”
You can find “Without You” on your favorite streaming services now and get to know Malachi Gagnon on Instagram and TikTok. Keep reading for more from our conversation with this breakout singer-songwriter!
Congrats on your new single, “Without You!” How does it feel to finally share the song with the world?
Thanks! Yeah, it’s truly a blessing to have the opportunity. I still can’t believe it. It’s been such a fast few months of growth. It’s incredible!
What does the song “Without You” mean to you?
“Without You” represents the feeling I think all of us feel when we love someone and don’t want to lose that person. We all have people in our life we don’t want to live without. I hope this song gives words to those feelings.
Is there a certain lyric on “Without You” that you’re particularly proud of?
Not necessarily a lyric but I love the idea in the bridge and pre-choruses, “there’s a million other places and a million other faces, but I don’t want to fill this space with anyone else but you.” I love the imagery of the space around us only being filled by the person we love.
In just a few weeks, “Without You” has already surpassed 150k streams on Spotify! What has it been like for you to see how much fans love the song?
It’s incredible! I didn’t think this would happen, I was just having fun, doing what I love, and here we are. I just passed 1,000,000 total streams on Spotify, which in 7 months is just crazy to me! I honestly didn’t know if 1000 people would stream my songs. I would have been happy with that… so, yeah, a million is pretty cool!
You’ll be releasing a music video for “Without You” [soon], which is awesome! What inspired the video and what was it like on set?
So, my producer’s friend has this warehouse in the middle of Tampa… and we just covered that place in LED lights. I knew I wanted a dark setting with myself performing, and the video came to life! I have such a great team dreaming up these ideas with me. I think you’ll love the video!
“Without You” is the third song you’ve released in 2022. What have you learned about yourself as an artist and a person since releasing “Craving Me” back in March?
I’ve learned so much! Each month that passes, I feel like I become more and more of the artist I hope to be. I’ve learned that not every song comes together the same. Some songs you labor hours over and other songs you write in minutes. I’ve learned it’s hard work. Hours and hours of voice lessons, studio time, writing time, guitar and piano practice, and many other things. I’ve also learned, being true to who you are will always take you further than pretending to be someone you’re not.
Your previous single, “Psychopath,” has a slower tempo than “Craving Me” and “Without You,” which sets a certain mood and lets the lyrics really shine. When you first start working on a song, do you usually know what kind of production you want to go with it or do you work that out later?
I usually have a vision of what kind of song I want it to be, but it always changes once you’re in the studio. Every song has sounded different from beginning to end because, just like a painting, as the song develops you add more pieces to it.
You’re gearing up to release your debut EP soon – is there a sense of pressure with preparing for your debut project? What excites you most about releasing it?
Not too much pressure. I really enjoy the process. Some songs are harder to write than others but in the end, all the effort is worth it. In the middle of every song, I wonder if it will come together. Writing a song and people connecting personally to that song excites me the most. Much more than the number of streams and all that stuff. There’s nothing more exciting than someone just vibing with a song I’ve poured my heart into!
We at TREMG love getting to know new artists who haven’t gotten the success or attention they deserve. Who are some of your favorite underrated artists at the moment?
I love that! I think one artist who’s smaller but is actually growing quickly is Bailey Zimmerman. I love his music! He’s super different and as a person seems super likable. JVKE is also someone I really like. David J is a rising country singer who I think is super solid and writes some great songs. Ashley Cooke is a super talented writer as well.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with your music already, which of your songs would you recommend to them to get a feel for who you are as an artist?
The next one 🙂 my next one is almost the best one! I think “Without You,” my latest single, represents me the best so far. I have a song releasing November 4th that I’m also super excited about!
Is there anything else you’d like to mention that the questions didn’t touch on?
Y’all asked some great questions! Thank you so much for the opportunity to share some of my story!
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