Abby Anderson Used Her Dad’s Dating Advice to Write ‘Make Him Wait’
"Honestly, when we wrote that song that day, I just recalled everything my dad every taught me about dating and boys and put it in a song,” Anderson explained to SLN.
Sometimes, listening to a parent’s rules can result in some greater meaning. For Abby Anderson, she remembered the life-long advice that her father constantly reminded her of to inspire her debut single.
Called “Make Him Wait,” Anderson always felt empowered when she knew her dad’s words were true when it came to romantic relationships. As one of seven kids, the rising star relied on the guidance to lead her down the right path in love and she knew it would make a great lyric one day.
“I think it was really important to both of my parents that they raise their daughters knowing what their value is and where their worth comes from. I just remember my dad always telling us, ‘Play hard to get. Make the boys work for it. Make him wait.’ Honestly, when we wrote that song that day, I just recalled everything my dad every taught me about dating and boys and put it in a song,” Anderson explained to Sounds Like Nashville over the phone recently.
Abby Anderson; Photo courtesy Black River Entertainment
Once the song came into fruition, Anderson started to play it for fans and friends alike, and the response blew her away with how many people connected to the message. Inspiring so many voices to speak up over their personal experiences in relation to “Make Him Wait,” Anderson revolutionized the conversation about empowerment that much further.
“I’ll get phone calls from my girlfriends talking about going out with these guys and they just feel like crap after,” Anderson revealed. “I’ll always tell them, ‘You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. It’s not gonna make him like you any more.’ That was definitely in mind, but it’s been really cool to see the reaction from girls everywhere about, ‘Hey, Abby. I listened to your acoustic version on YouTube,’ that we put out, and hearing them say, ‘It just made me realize I’m worth it. I’m valued. I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.” It’s been really cool.”
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Anderson went right back to the source, though, for the most honest opinion of her single: her father. Even though she mentioned how masculine her dad is when it comes to everyday things, Anderson got him to break down emotionally over the song and she knew she did something right in that moment.
“I wanted him to hear it with me in the car. He listened to it and he’s Mr. Tough Guy, you know, so he was looking out the window, getting all teared up. It was a really cool moment. He didn’t want me to see him crying. My dad’s my best friend and honestly, I would not have written that song without him if I didn’t have a father like him. Kudos to my dad for sure,” she said.
Anderson’s debut song, “Make Him Wait,” is available digitally now.
