Laura Mustard – Standing Still (2026)
Procrastination and avoidance – it’s something we all deal with sooner or later. Whether you’re just in a lazy state and don’t feel like doing what you’ve pushed aside for days, or if you’re trying to avoid everything that doesn’t seem fun, procrastination is the thief of time, and then you find yourself catching up with all the stuff you could have done earlier but didn’t. Can you tell I’m well-acquainted with procrastination?
Eager to delve into intimate existential issues, including avoidance, singer-songwriter Lara Mustard unpacks things with heartfelt emotion and raw understanding. In her previous single, ‘Salty Sea’, she explored the exploitation of women in society using a murder ballad. Today, we join her as she releases the emotional single, ‘Standing Still’. When speaking of its inspiration, Mustard explains:
“I wrote this song in 2024. I had just gone through a breakup, I had some big changes at my job, and I felt like my music career was progressing slower than I’d like with all the competition in Nashville… Seriously, though, it was just this perfect storm for feeling stuck… This song dives into why I am the way that I am around my own patterns, and how I get in my own way. I’m hoping it’s relatable to other people who have a tendency for self-sabotage, and are almost maybe more risk-averse.”
Recorded and produced by Nolan Sorsby, ‘Standing Still’ retains the folk-tinted sound of ‘Salty Sea’, but removes its obscurity for a smooth, soft, gentle and mellifluous melody. Intricate in one way with Sorsby’s bass meeting guitars, drums, Mustard’s soulful piano, and a slice of horns, the tune places different elements together like a great Lego building. However, while the melody has its diverse shifts into a classic rock crescendo and bouncy folk-rock, there is simplicity existing in the track – the outcome of Mustard’s charming, steady vocals catching your breath as she dances atop the song.
Sincere, sentimental and honest, the song explores self-sabotage, isolation and inner turmoil, but with the jubulant optimism of a sunny day. I’m already a Laura Mustard fan, and ‘Standing Still’ cements the American musician’s place in my heart.
Find out more about Laura Mustard on her official website, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.
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