Erich Mrak’s single “Girls” is the first single off his upcoming album “Glimpse.” The singer said that the song is influenced by Post Malone, Tame Impala and the 1975. The track is a reminder that friendships are vital during heartbreak.

Mrak was born in Ottawa, Canada and later moved to Toronto when he was 18 to study New Media at Ryerson University. He withdrew during his third year to pursue music and earned a degree in culinary arts. 

The artist’s profound passion for music began as a way to pass time. He started writing music when he was seven and released his first song when he turned 15. 

“I traveled a lot when I was younger, and I wasn’t very interested in video games. The thing that made sense to do was write and listen to music,” Mrak said. 

He mainly produces experimental pop, but has been experimenting with different vocal processing techniques that have formed as an extension of the sound on “Glimpse” over the last few months.

Mrak’s biggest influences in music are Bon Iver, Frank Ocean and the 1975. During his songwriting process, he always begins with freestyling a melody. 

“It’s all nonsense at the beginning, just sounds and words that come to mind. That then translates into verses and choruses,” he said. “I don’t usually begin with only words anymore as I found it too limiting to any idea I had for the song.”

The artist said that the idea for his song “Girls” emerged when he was having a conversation with a close female friend who was experiencing a recent heartbreak. The song had initially been titled “Boys.” Mrak wants others to feel comforted and encouraged after hearing the track for the first time. 

“While the context of ‘Girls’ centers around a recent heartbreak, the core message of the song lies in the supportive dynamic friendship plays in encouraging someone they can do better,” Mrak said.

The writing process took place over the course of three days, and the artist confessed he needed to feel a sense of stability and release. “I had been working every day for three months straight with no days off.”

Mrak’s favorite line in the track is, “Losing control, to help me cope, ’cause I’ve got my own way of letting go.”

He mentioned, “I think that line encapsulates the way I was when we started making not just ‘Girls,’ but the entire album. Towards the completion of the album, I had started healing because I wasn’t working as much. But when you’re part of two very intense, stressful industries, trying to balance having some semblance of a life is difficult.”

The line reminds him of how low things can get, and serves as a reminder of a place he never wants to visit again. Mrak wrote “Glimpse” as a non-linear narrative album. The style of the songs centers around pop, but the content ranges between stories that are his own and ones that he was a part of, but not directly involved in. 

“I spent the last two years experiencing a lot, and ‘Glimpse’ depicts my reflection on those moments. I think as a listener; the styles are accessible. But if you listen deeper and go beyond the pop-masked sound, you’ll be able to hear where I really was when making the project,” Mrak expressed. 

“Girls” is a reflective track, and it’s more about the universal experience of heartbreak rather than Mrak’s specific experience. The message behind the song lies in the strength found in confiding in someone else.

“The song’s title was initially titled ‘Boys,’ and it was written from the perspective of a friend of mine enduring a recent heartbreak. The song’s title implicates the focus point of the song in a clear way, so without hearing the song, you already have a general sense of what it is going to be about,” Mrak revealed.

After discussing “Girls,” Mrak shifted topics, sharing a vivid memory of his most unforgettable gig. It was back in December 2018 when he had a set at an open mic at Drom, a bar located in Toronto.

Mrak performed a few songs with his guitar player Blayne Stone, also known as beatsblayne, who is also the guitar player in all of the covers he makes. The singer mentioned that he had a good time performing with a few friends and fans in the audience. 

“On our encore, members of the audience joined in and started playing drums and piano. It made for a really lively set and a very warm memory. I had a lot of cider that night as well,” Mrak mentioned. 

Mrak concluded with inspiring advice to industrious musicians: “Practice, and then practice more. Don’t be afraid of failure as it’s just a step. Remember to trust the process.”

Contact Ron Rock Coloma at rcoloma ‘at’ stanford.edu.