Conor Maynard chronicles “an extremely difficult breakup” on his revealing new single, “If I Ever”
Marking a creative turning point, “If I Ever” is the first in a series of new releases planned for 2023
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Watch the lyric video for “If I Ever” HERE
Today, with the release of his new single “If I Ever,” fans are getting the answers they’ve been looking for. “If I’m honest, at the end of 2022 I went through a really rough breakup, which led to the decision to take a step back from everything, rather than trying to pretend I was fine,” Maynard revealed. “I took the time to pour it all into the only thing that ever seems to help me get through difficult moments – my music.”
“‘If I Ever’ is the first of a series of songs I wrote about an extremely difficult breakup I went through last year,” Maynard recalls. “It was a unique relationship and hard to write about, because 90% of it took place over phone calls and video calls, which I understand was common during the pandemic. This song captures my emotional experience following that breakup, and the anticipation I continue to feel about my upcoming appearance in her hometown of Sydney, Australia, since in our last conversation, she told me she still hopes to see me there.”
But 10 years after the debut album that changed his life, Maynard realized it was time for him to go at it alone. He left his label and took his career to new and unchartered heights, racking up over 300 million streams in 2021 along, without any major player backing. It takes his worldwide reach to a staggering scale: Spotify streams of his music surpassed 2 billion, and he quickly become the 7th most followed TikTok music account in the UK, despite only joining the platform in 2020. The decision also allowed him to bring his music to new, adventurous heights, with a sense of artistic liberation lying at the heart of his new material.
“Sonically, this song is very different from any of my previous work, drawing inspiration from artists like The 1975 and The Weeknd,” Maynard continued. “The song may sound quite upbeat and positive at first, but upon a closer listen, you’ll realize that the lyrics are about a desperate heartbreak. I collaborated with one of my close friends on this track, writing and scrapping more than 50 songs over the course of a few months before we finally found a way to translate the story in a way that felt authentic to me.”
Maynard will continue to release material from this new era of creativity throughout 2023. Stay tuned for continued updates, and keep an eye on Maynard’s socials to follow his return to the world stage.
