Guelph singer-songwriter Nina Lynn blends dreamy melodies, delicate instrumentation, and heartfelt storytelling on her magical new single, “Daisy.”
Sometimes inspiration arrives when you least expect it, even while waiting for your morning coffee. For Guelph-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nina Lynn, that everyday moment sparked “Daisy,” an enchanting new single that introduces a dreamy new chapter in her musical journey.
Blending elements of indie pop, folk, art pop, and chamber pop, “Daisy” begins with intimate piano and percussion before unfolding into a lush, atmospheric soundscape. Recorded at Toronto’s Studio Cardinal with producer Derek Downham, the track features delicate instrumentation, layered rhythms, and whimsical details that Lynn describes as feeling like falling into Wonderland.
Beneath its fairy-tale atmosphere, “Daisy” explores the emotional journey of healing, letting go, and rediscovering yourself after a painful experience. The song balances vulnerability with hope, inviting listeners into a world where reflection and renewal go hand in hand.
Music has been a lifelong passion for Lynn, who began studying classical piano at six before exploring choir, flute, guitar, and jazz vocals. Her diverse musical background has shaped a distinctive sound showcased on her previous albums, 2am Kinda Night (2018) and Let Go (2023).
Now working on a collection of new material with a more ethereal direction, Nina Lynn offers a captivating first glimpse of what’s to come with “Daisy.”
Listen to Nina Lynn’s “Daisy”
Nina Lynn Interview – The Inspiration Behind “Daisy”
We caught up with Nina Lynn to discuss the unexpected inspiration behind “Daisy,” her creative process, the song’s themes of healing and letting go, and the musical direction she’s exploring next.
Hi, Nina ! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourself to the readers for those not familiar with your music?
I’m a singer songwriter from Guelph Ontario. I write folk and chamber pop music, with a love of orchestral moments. I started out in classical music, but have always loved everything from alternative to hip hop to folk to jazz. My music collections are a bit on the eclectic side. Shuffling music on my phone can be…an adventure. My music tends to incorporate some of those elements, but usually in a way that feels a bit more cohesive, with folk music as the most consistent underlying element.
“Daisy” began with you tapping out a rhythm on your kitchen counter while waiting for your morning coffee. Do you find that your best musical ideas arrive when you’re not looking for them, and how have you learned to recognize those little moments of inspiration before they disappear?
I am very lucky in that music is usually just there when I reach for it. Things do pop In my head randomly as well, like they did with Daisy. Not always at the most opportune times either. In those moments, I will record a voice memo on my phone so I don’t forget. Before smart phones, I used to keep a little mini recorder with me that I would use and before that it was a brief chord progression and a few notes of lyrics scribbled down. Things have definitely evolved over the years.
I will often sit on musical ideas for years. I have a hard time figuring out in the moment whether something is actually good or not so I like to give myself some time to get over the initial high of creating it and look at it with a bit more of an objective ear.
Beneath the dreamy, almost fairy-tale atmosphere of “Daisy” is a deeply personal story about healing and learning to let go of something painful. What has writing this song taught you about moving forward, and do you think music can help us understand emotions we haven’t quite found the words for yet?
Understanding something cognitively is not usually the same as being ready to process it emotionally. That’s always the hardest part of letting something go for me. I think I’m ready, I’ve worked it through and the pieces fit, but there’s usually an emotional understanding that I haven’t quite come to yet. But playing it out definitely helps.
Music has always been how I process emotions. The words are almost secondary for me. I think that’s probably true for a lot of people. It’s the feeling of it that usually hits you first. Having someone echo back your own feelings to you can be a really powerful thing. Music does just that, in a personal way that is very much up to individual interpretation.
You’ve been surrounded by music since childhood, studying classical piano, jazz vocals, flute and guitar, and you’ve never really confined yourself to one genre. How has that musical upbringing shaped the way you hear the world, and what gives you the confidence to follow your imagination wherever it takes you?
I wish I could say it was confidence, but I think it might be a single minded need that I don’t have much control over. It’s fun! It might actually just be that simple.
As for how it shaped how I hear the world, that’s a really wonderful question. I loved that movie that Björk did, Dancer in the Dark, where she hears music in everything around her. It feels a little bit like that sometimes. That might be more about how my brain works than the different musical influences though.
Your previous album was called ‘Let Go,’ and now “Daisy” introduces a new chapter with a more ethereal, imaginative sound. Do you feel you’re entering a different place creatively and personally, and what are you discovering about yourself through the music you’re making now?
Honestly, I always kind of feel that way. I think life is an evolution like that, and music is just an expression of that.