Feature: Taylor Lang Decodes “Broke But Never Broken”
Credit: By Sebastian Buzzalino (Unfolding Creative Photography)
What inspired you to write the lyrics/music for "Broke But Never Broken?"
I grew up on a farm in a very remote and rural part of Saskatchewan in western Canada. Then when I was 7, my parents divorced and my mother ended up renting a house in an equally remote area nearby, struggling to restart and take care of five kids as a newly-single parent. Without much opportunity, she took the nearest job available - a bartender in the closest town, about 40 minutes away. It wasn't much at all but she somehow made it work for years. And what's more is that my siblings and I never realized how hard it must have been until we were much older and she had already passed away. This song is a testament to the sacrifices and monumental efforts she made to put us first. She was smart, passionate, and driven, and she could have had an entirely different life, but she chose to give up everything for her kids.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for this single to life?
I've only recorded as part of a band before, and this is my first song as a solo artist, so I knew I needed someone who could amplify the best ideas and minimize anything that might detract from the end product. I sought out and started working with Russell Broom, a JUNO-winning producer and guitarist here in Canada, specifically because I knew he could fill in any gaps that I had as a musician. And his fingerprints are all over this track, from the ambient guitars to the wide-open soundscape and mournful nostalgic feel. It's supposed to be reminiscent of the giant prairie skies and landscapes I grew up with, and I think we hit it right on.
How do you feel "Broke But Never Broken" represents your artistic identity?
This is a new direction for me, one where I have more confidence in what I'm writing and how I'm putting it out. I used to worry a lot more about whether I was writing songs I thought people would want to hear. Now I feel like I'm writing things that I want people to hear, and they can choose how they feel about it. Plus, this incorporates a lot more of the "storytelling" folk elements that I like, to the point that when I play it live, I do a whole extended intro that explains the whole backstory. I would have never dreamed of doing that just a few years ago.
What was the first instrument you learned to play, and how old were you at the time?
The first one that I seriously learned to play was the piano, starting at about age 7. I have an aunt who is an accomplished pianist and teacher, and she taught me and my three older siblings when we were young. After that, I also started playing drums, saxophone, bass, and then finally guitar when I was a teenager.
Do you have any memorable on-stage moments or performances that stand out to you?
In the summer of 2018, my old band did two festival performances on the same day. We played one slot late afternoon, peeled out as fast as we could, and drove about five hours to the next gig where we closed out the side stage around 1 AM. It could have been a disaster but it worked out great and I'm so glad we did it, even though many people said we couldn't.