80s, Baby! with Seersha

I'm flying high: Seersha's Can't Stop Time

• Seersha • Season 1

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Release Date: September 30, 2024
Name of podcast: 80s, Baby! with Seersha  
Episode title and number: I'm flying high: Seersha's Can't Stop Time, Season 1, Bonus Episode

Episode Summary: In this special bonus episode of "80s, Baby! with Seersha," released on International Podcast Day, we dive into the story behind Seersha's new single, "Can't Stop Time." Seersha shares her personal journey from corporate life to 80s-inspired musician and answers fan questions about her latest release. She explores the collaborative process with co-producer Richard Smith, discussing the song's tempo, composition, and the magical instrumental that forms its backbone.

Seersha reveals the deeply personal inspiration behind the lyrics, touching on themes of loss, missed opportunities, and the bittersweet nature of memories frozen in time. The episode also provides insights into the technical aspects of music production, from initial demo to final mastering.

Drawing from her experience creating "Can't Stop Time," Seersha offers listeners a glimpse into the creative process behind 80s-inspired music and the power of collaboration. She teases upcoming projects, including new singles and her "jazzwave" duo, Moonlighting. Join Seersha as she takes you on a nostalgic yet forward-looking journey, blending personal anecdotes with valuable insights for music lovers and aspiring artists alike.

Chapter Markers:
Intro - 0:00
Exposition - 0:55
Can’t Stop Time Q&A - 1:47
Final Thoughts - 12:52
Credits - 14:38

Show Notes:
Listen to Can't Stop Time: https://linktr.ee/seershamusic?lt_utm_source=lt_share_link#414805114
Sign up for email updates directly from the studio desk of Seersha, PLUS get two exclusive, iconic cover songs from 80s bands, reimagined in a stripped-down style just for you: https://seersha.ck.page/1576e594fb

Want to get in touch? DM @seershamusic on social media, or find Seersha on the web at www.seershamusic.com.

I’m an 80s baby through and through, deeply in love with the decade that defined pop culture like no other. It wasn't always clear how this passion would shape my journey, but my love for both 80s-inspired music and jams straight from the era has led me on a wild journey from depressed corporate girly to embodying the essence of 80s pop-rock on stages across the world with Guardians of the Jukebox.

So whether you're an 80s aficionado, a fellow artist drawing inspiration from this colorful decade, or someone curious about my transformation from mundane 9-to-5 to musician living a retro-tinged dream, you've found your crew. Let’s be kind, rewind, relive, and re-love the 80s together.

Welcome to “80s, Baby!” I’m your host, Seersha.

So today is International Podcast Day, so in celebration of International Podcast Day, and the amazing Can’t Stop Time release – y’all have truly made my return to releasing music absolutely magical – I thought it would be fun to drop a surprise bonus “80s, Baby! with Seersha” episode. Today’s bonus episode is going to be a little bit different, a little more impromptu, and instead of focusing on a song from the 80s, we’re going to focus on a song squarely inspired by the 80s – my new single, Can’t Stop Time! Y’all sent in some questions on social media as well as in-person about the song, so I’ll kick things off by answering those.

Jay asked, “How did you decide the tempo of the song?”

Ok, this is an interesting question because in some ways, this question kicks off the collaboration between myself and my production partner, Richard Smith. So Richard reached out to me with a demo of this track and it was originally a bit slower, it was like 115 BPM. When I first listened to it, I loved it but I felt like I wasn’t in a place where I wanted to release a ballad. He sent me another demo a few months later that I also loved, and at that time, a lot was coming together for me: I was feeling ready to work on new material and to start writing again, and I knew I needed to find a partner, I wasn’t going to be able to capture the new sound I wanted – the super saturated 80s sound – without a team. So we jumped on a Zoom and found we have a very similar approach and ethos around music creation. And so we started collaborating in earnest. Can’t Stop Time was the first instrumental demo I loaded up in my DAW, and I had the thought to speed it up, not by much, but from that original 115 BPM to 122 BPM. I do think “Time After Time” was an influence on that, because it’s quicker in tempo than you might think, it’s 130 BPM and that side stick keeps it moving along. I wanted “Can’t Stop Time” to have a little more drive to it and I think the tempo change was key to that.

Jim Kelley asked, “What was the process of composing that MAGICAL instrumental?”

I sent this question over to Richard so I’m going to quote him for a couple of paragraphs: he said, I love it when people ask these types of questions about music. It might inspire them to create, too!

Truth be told, when I got the Prophet 5, I felt like it was such a legendary instrument, I really just wanted to put a picture frame around it in a song. I had that little riff in my head, played it with a click track, and didn’t like it when I pulled the click out…so I left the rim shot in as the main rhythm.

Diane Warren suggested writing on an instrument you’re not that good at playing so you’re less prone to noodle and focus on the song. I write on keys because I suck at them lol.

That’s Richard’s take on composing the instrumental – I just have a couple of things to add – As I mentioned, I actually sped the tempo of the song up slightly. Then, I felt like a little something was missing, so I added this chime riff: chime audio. 

Alright, our next question is from Ace, who asked, How long did it take to work on it? I was checking in with Richard about this question and we both wondered if this is asking about the writing or recording, but reflecting back on it, no aspect of it felt like it took a super long time. About originally pulling together the demo, Richard said, “This actually came together super quickly because I had the basic riff in my head already. I knew that I wanted to go to a major key in the chorus, so it basically wrote itself.”

Of course, the hours start to add up when you consider Richard putting together the initial instrumental, me writing the lyrics, then getting into the studio to record vocals engineered by my buddy Luke Campolieta at the Projector Room, that’s the Bush Brother’s studio in Decatur, Georgia, then the mixing process and finally mastering by Von Hertzog at The Social Club. Phew!

As a follow up to this question, I asked Richard if he had offered the demo to any other artists besides myself – I wondered if it had made the rounds in the synthwave scene before I got my hands on it. He said that he originally thought Cyber Flower would be interested, but they had to kind of backburner recording due to work obligations. Richard has worked with Jenn Vix in the past, but she was in the middle of a project with Vernon Reid from Living Colour so she didn’t have the time. Another quote from Richard here – “I had to find someone who loves 80s music as much as I do, and remembered the Seersha track with Thorisson – the rest is history!” I am so thrilled that we are collaborating and really thankful history turned out the way it did!

Ok, a few of you have asked me who this song is about. I would say it’s not about just one person, but there is a main inspiration for this song. My great aunt, she was my dad’s aunt hence my great aunt, her name was Lillian and she was more like a grandmother figure to me. Some of you may know that I lived in Okinawa, Japan as a kid, and Aunt Lillian made the long journey to come visit us and stayed with us for a few weeks, and we really forged a bond during that time. My family actually lived with her for a little while when we moved back to the States and she was just an incredibly special, supportive person in my life. When I was 14, she passed away very unexpectedly and this is really the first time I feel like I have been able to write about it. It was my freshman year of high school, and I had just auditioned for the school musical and somehow managed to get cast in the lead female role. And I remember I kept meaning to call her and tell her about it, I was so excited, but life was busy, and I was a teenager and sometimes picking up the phone to call someone was anxiety inducing, and I kept putting it off, and I never did get to tell her. When I got the news that she had passed, I was so upset that I didn’t pick up the phone and give her that update about my life. “I’m sorry about the words I never said…” you know? So this song is definitely for anyone who has lost someone, and I don’t even mean lost someone in the sense that they have died; this song is also about a few people in my life that were really important to me and a big part of my life at one point in time and we are no longer close. It’s not that anything nefarious happened, we just drifted apart. And these people who are no longer in my life, they are sort of frozen in time for me. I remember them as they were, and that’s some of the inspiration behind the lyrics at the very end, “We’re never gonna grow up, you’re never gonna grow old.”

Jumping back to the beginning of the song, there was something about Richard’s instrumental that made me think about driving. I have always loved a good car ride, I do my best thinking in the car, and when I was a teenager, driving felt like freedom. I drove a 1983 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbo, it was an absolute tank, I loved that car to bits. It was a safe place for me to crank my music and cruise around my small Indiana town and dream about getting out, and escaping the boredom and monotony I felt. “I found my way out… and I’m flying high… but I can’t stop time.”

I want to thank y’all again for making this a really special release for me, for sharing your stories with me of who the song makes you think of or what you love about it, for adding it to your playlists and sharing it with your friends. I have always felt like if my music could have a positive impact on even just 1 person, then I’ve made it. It’s an incredible feeling to know that this song is resonating with you. The next single is so, so close to done, so stay tuned for that release date and there is so much great music in the pipeline that Richard and I are working on together, as well as me and other collaborators, plus music coming from my new “jazzwave” duo, Moonlighting – so lots to be excited about!

Until next time, keep dreaming, keep creating, and remember – even though we can’t stop time, the 80s will always be here for us. This is your host, Seersha, signing off. Shine bright and love on your friends!

And that's a wrap on our Can’t Stop Time bonus episode!

Be sure to tune in next time as we uncover the secrets behind another beloved 80s anthem. Until then, keep that creativity flowing, babes!

And of course, a big thank you to our production team for making this all possible:

Written and Produced by: Seersha 

Theme Music by: Seersha and Richard James Smith

For more information, or to suggest a song you'd love us to explore, DM me on social media @seershamusic or find me online at www.seershamusic.com.