Dani Taylor Sees a ‘Situationship’ End in ‘Strangers Again’ Premiere
So many what-ifs!
Country newcomer Dani Taylor documents a romantic life cycle with her new track, “Strangers Again,” laying out the process of meeting someone, falling in love and then watching it dissolve.
More disappointed than devastated, it’s an insightful country ballad speaking the modern-day language of a “situationship” that didn’t work, and it premieres on Sounds Like Nashville today (August 12).
Making its official debut tomorrow (August 13), the track finds a stylish independent artist showing off a smooth vocal and impressive level of emotional sophistication — plus what she calls a new sense of vulnerability.
With its wounded pop-country sound and heartbroken edge, “Strangers Again” finds Taylor going through a breakup — but still looking for closure. Filled with regret and what ifs, she says she pulled her lyrical pain from a real-life experience, just like all the best country songs. But in her case, the breakup ended a relationship that never fully materialized, and that actually made things harder.
“I got the idea for ‘Strangers Again’ because of a TikTok that showed up in my ‘for you’ page,” she tells SLN. “It was a simple video of a girl not saying anything, but there was text on the screen that said ‘All that just to be strangers again…’ At the time, it really resonated with me because I had just ended a ‘situationship’ with someone. In my opinion it is a lot harder to end relationships that never had a label in the first place.
“The TikTok sparked inspiration for me to write a song, not only for people who are struggling to get over someone they never technically dated in the first place, but also for people who are going through breakups and having to deal with the memories you shared together,” she goes on. “It could be as simple as driving by the place you met, had a first date, or his/her favorite spot. It brings back all the good memories of that person, and that’s the hardest part about getting over someone — having to pretend those memories never existed so you can move on.”
Taylor continues to explain how a not-quite-relationship is one of the hardest to get over. According to her, so many questions are left unanswered, that you’ll never know what could have been.
“This song helped me get over a relationship with a guy I never technically dated,” she says. “The reason it’s so hard to forget someone you never dated is because you never even got to the point of seeing their bad side. You’re only stuck with the good memories and what ifs, which is just as hard (if not harder) than getting over someone you were in a committed relationship with. This song is also the first song I’ve come out with that shows my vulnerable side … I usually try to be positive, but this tune shows an emotional side I don’t often let others see.”
Those other tracks include the recent “Table for One Drinking for Two” and “Midnight Cowgirl,” which both came out earlier this year, and 2020’s “Man of Few Words.”
Dani Taylor is featured on multiple Spotify playlists, and has even collaborated with the streaming platform to curate her own playlist, called “Pretty Country.” “Strangers Again” is out tomorrow on all major streaming services.
