With no promises and no commitments, Nashville-based Meredith Shock is diving into love headfirst in her open-hearted, free-flowing single, “Trial Run.”
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Stream: “Trial Run” – Meredith Shock
From the second she could talk, Meredith Shock was using her voice to sing. At the age of nine, she picked up a guitar and discovered that making music was the one way she wanted to give back to the world. Originally from DC, but now based in the heart of music city – Nashville, TN, and influenced by the country music she grew up listening to, Shock is a singer-songwriter whose music reaches anywhere from indie pop to Americana. In her latest single, “Trial Run,” she plays off the free-flow of relaxed pop vibes to cushion the song’s hopefulness in moving forward into the unknown with the person you’re falling for.
As an LGBTQ+ artist, Shock uses her music to express and highlight her true self, unashamed and without apology. This kind of honesty is the same one that shines through in her music. “I wrote ‘Trial Run’ for a girl that I had been talking to for only a month,” Shock says of the song. ” I wanted us to progress past ‘just talking’ but I knew we weren’t ready to commit to a long distance relationship. A trial run was our way to test it out– to see how dating each other would work without the pressure of full commitment.”
No promises and no commitments, babe
Isn’t that what you wanted in the first place?
And when our time is up
I hope I’m still what you want,
Don’t want it to be done after the trial run
With a gentle yet captivating keyboard pattern to start, Shock’s cool and collected tone sings about breaking down that introductory part of a relationship and diving headfirst into letting it unfold, without fear, without commitment, and without expectation. It’s upbeat rhythm mixed in with Shock’s optimistic and heartfelt lyrics points toward the idea that something more just might come out of a casual encounter. The song’s tone is light and airy with a catchy pop beat that reminds you of a hopefulness – the same kind that Shock uses to highlight her true self and her open-ended approach to love.
Whether you’re using it to test the waters, avoid a potential heartbreak, or take things slow, a trial run gives you the opportunity to learn about each other without the pressure of promises and commitment.
More than just writing and singing about the excitement and unpredictability in relationships, Shock also uses her voice and her music to speak up for those in the artistic community she feels needs representation. Unafraid to let her listeners know that her love songs about falling in love and heartbreak are about women, she uses her creativity to help bring a voice to those whose love lives can many times seem overlooked. “There’s not enough LBGTQ+ representation in music and media and it’s important for me to challenge that,” she says. “If even just one person hears my music, can relate to it, and feels represented by the lyrics, I’ll know what I’m doing is important.”
I think we owe it to ourselves
To figure this thing out
Take this jump with me
Let’s see what we could be
“Trial Run” is a beautifully melodic, sincere track that perfectly captures what it’s like to open your heart to someone while being optimistic about what might happen. Even though the song still hints at a slight uncertainty, Shock doesn’t use the unknown to elevate her song. She uses her heart and her hopefulness to encapsulate a moment in time where two people are on the verge of discovering when “just talking” could turn into something a little more worthwhile.
Stream: “Trial Run” – Meredith Shock
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