NYC glam rocker Micky James has just released his Loner of the Year EP, which ironically makes us feel anything but a loner.

The EP is bursting with glittery instrumentals underneath Micky’s electric vocals singing relatable lyrics about love, heartbreak, anxiety, and the memories he’s made in the city he calls home. Loner of the Year is the perfect collection of songs for anyone seeking out to feel understood and less alone. 

“The EP to me feels like a byproduct of the past two years and how that has impacted me today, exploring concepts of loss, longing and mental illness,” says Micky. “A majority of these songs developed during a subdued time in the world. We were all locked away in our homes during the pandemic and were quite reflective of our lives and the paths we were on. I think we all felt like loners of the year in some way. I wanted to make a body of work that felt like a party record for the loners, the ones that may feel less represented.”

To celebrate the release of the Loner of the Year EP, Micky dives into the tracks individually for 1883’s Track by Track series, revealing the inspiration behind each track on the EP. 

New York Minute 

“New York Minute” took on a few different life forms, sonically and conceptually. I started writing it in 2020 during the pandemic when the world was quiet. Originally the song was written as a love letter to New York City. The city that I grew up in and a city that created so many memories as a young adult. But I wanted to make it more open ended so it applied to everyone. The song is about letting go of the past and learning from those lessons to create new beginnings in life. 

Loner of The Year

This song was the last song I wrote for the EP and eventually became the title track. I’ve always had the title knocking around and it never quite fit into the many ideas I would try and write for it. Eventually – about a year ago, the title seemed to fit into the song so perfectly that it basically wrote itself. I would say it was the fastest song to make on the EP. loner of the year is about the complicated relationships we have with our mental health and the acceptance of loneliness. 

James Brown 

This song might be my favorite song on the EP. I think because it feels like the “dark horse” out of the rest of the bunch and it has this dangerously cool, dark, danceable vibe about it. “James Brown” is a song for the people that may feel less represented. It’s a song to inspire those who want to live their lives as loudly and authentically as they choose;  the message of unapologetic self love and self expression. 

Girl Talk 

“Girl Talk” might be one of the oldest tracks on the EP. I believe the idea came about in late 2019, maybe early 2020. It’s a pretty simple, fun little song. There’s nothing too fancy about it. It’s a straight to the point, fun song that has these kinds of strange sexual connotations about it. 

Losing You 

“Losing You” is about the fear and anxiety we have when we know a relationship is coming to an end. You can’t help but reminisce about all of the special moments with that person, especially when you know that this chapter in your life is coming to a close. It’s never easy to say goodbye but when the feeling is right you have to let it go. 

Listen to the Loner of the Year EP by Micky James HERE.