Today I’m thrilled to share the latest single from San Fermin called “Someone You Call Baby,” a heartfelt, yet rare ballad taken from their upcoming EP entitled Your Ghost, out September 9th via Better Company Records. San Fermin took a very collaborative approach on this song, as well as their upcoming record, with several key outside contributors paired with vocalist Allen Tate’s work at the helm as producer. The band leader, Ellis Ludwig-Leone, shared:
Since Allen took over producing, my writing process has really changed. I wrote this one at the piano and it came out almost like a ballad, which I never usually write. The song had three distinct sections we really liked, but we couldn’t figure out how to piece it all together, til we finally landed on a version where the first half of the song is a relaxed acoustic guitar groove, which sets up this big cathartic build at the end. Allen and I argued about this one a lot, but often those end up being the best songs.
With a larger than life sound paired with heartfelt lyrics, San Fermin are ready for their next big artistic step forward.
How would you say “Someone You Call Baby” fits into the narrative of this three-song EP? What is its general message?
This EP was an experiment in writing more directly. I wrote at the piano, stripped everything down, and just tried to focus on letting the music serve the emotion of the lyrics. So I think of this EP as a proof of concept for a different kind of songwriting that will hopefully shape the next chapter of the band. From a lyrical perspective, I just tried to write about what was on my mind without worrying too much about metaphor or any kind of extended narrative. This one is about a friend who moved to LA and kinda grew up without me.
On this song, you also recruited vocalist Claire Wellin — how did that collaboration come to be, and what made you choose to bring in another voice?
Claire has stepped into the lead vocalist role for the band in the last couple of years, singing some songs from our earlier albums that were written for other singers, so it’s really exciting now to write new songs specifically suited to her. She’s an insanely good musician and can sing basically anything, and sound amazing. So the question is how to write songs she enjoys, that suit her emotionally as well as vocally. This one has a kinda swung, lullaby vibe that works really well for her I think. But it also builds and gets sadder at the end in a way that brings out the emotion in her voice.
You said that you don’t normally write ballads — is there a reason for that? And what made you stick with this one, despite the style difference?
I think I’ve been scared of them, to be honest? Ballads are so earnest and vulnerable, which is scary to do, and my first inclination is always to undercut it with something else. But part of this new songwriting approach is to make friends with that vulnerability and to find strength in it. If the songwriting is good, you can get away with some pretty primary colors emotions. But I think it’s worth it… the best songs aren’t afraid to be vulnerable.