FYI Music News: Mauvey – We Had The Time Of Our Lives Together (feat. Lights)

Mauvey – We Had The Time Of Our Lives Together -feat. Lights (604 Records): Fast-rising alt-pop star Mauvey is preparing a new EP, Before The Album 11, set for release in late 2023.

We get a taste of it now via advance cut, We Had The Time Of Our Lives Together, a collaboration with electro-pop hitmaker Lights. Discussing the collaboration with Lights in a label press release, Mauvey notes, “’Like many others, I have been a fan of Lights for years. I watched her perform three times in the Summer of 2022. It took a while, but I finally plucked up the courage to say hello. A couple of weeks later, I wrote a song that I thought Lights would be perfect for. To my absolute shock, she loved it. A couple of weeks after that, right before Lights’ European tour, she sent me her stunning verse, and the rest is history. I mean, I’m still freaking out to have a song release with Lights, I expect I always will be.”

For her part, Lights recalls that “When I first heard of Mauvey, I was initially impressed by his cohesive artistry and vision. When he sent me a few unreleased songs, I immediately fell in love with We Had The Time Of Our Lives Together and asked him if I could throw a verse on it. The track is really soundscapey and emotive, but with upfront raw lyrics – the way I like music.”

Mauvey explains that “The song is reminding you that even if you were ‘the worst’ together, you had the time of your lives together. It’s about silver linings, it’s about reminiscing on the best of times.” Lyrically, it captures the conflicting emotions that come with a breakup: “Why you do me unkind I love you so much I hate you Don’t hate you, I miss you.”

The track features the kind of plaintive soulful vocals from Mauvey that are so prevalent these days, so Lights’ brighter vocals really help make it stand out.

Born in Ghana and based in Vancouver, Mauvey’s 2022 EP, Before The Album: a love letter to the moons of mars, garnered critical acclaim from the likes of BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 1, and BBC 6 Music and was named on Why Now’s Ones To Watch List for 2023.

Mauvey plays Calgary’s Commonwealth on Feb. 17 and Vancouver’s Fortunes on Feb. 18. He then showcases at New Colosssus and SXSW, then opens for July Talk on US dates, April 17 to 25. Dates here.