A soulful and smoldering seduction, Nina de Vitry’s “Wrong Thing” is a liberating celebration of desire, intimacy, and living in the heat of the moment.
Lake Street Dive, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, The Dip
Stream: “Wrong Thing” – Nina de Vitry
I don’t wanna feel the need to impress someone, I only have the energy to undress someone…
Expectations and best laid plans can be an absolute mood killer.
Yes, we should keep tomorrow and tomorrow’s tomorrows in our mind’s eye, but there’s a time and place for future planning, just as there’s a time and place for living unapologetically in the moment: For embracing the here and now, undeterred by what might happen later on, and focusing our attention and energies on the present. Life is a great balancing act, and if we’re not giving ourselves what we need today, how can we ever hope to know happiness and satisfaction? Such is the message of Nina de Vitry’s impassioned new song: A soulful and smoldering seduction, “Wrong Thing” is a liberating celebration of desire, intimacy, and living in the heat of the moment.
I’ve been feeling lazy, lately, taking you home with me
Two floors above me, you’re what I need, just something easy
I don’t wanna draw back the blinds and begin again
When I can keep ‘em closed, be just fine,
with some wine and an old friend
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Wrong Thing,” Nina de Vitry’s fourth song release of the year and the latest single off her forthcoming debut album, What You Feel Is Real (out August 25, 2023). Following her previous tracks “Open,” “History,” and “Being with Myself,” the radiant “Wrong Thing” captures the Nashville-based singer/songwriter at her most energetic and emotive, singing hot on the mic as she channels a wealth of intense, intimate emotions into a cathartic eruption of groovy, glistening blue-eyed soul.
De Vitry dazzles in a heated chorus full of fervor and feeling:
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
At the right time
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
At the right time
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
“‘Wrong Thing’ was born from a co-write with my friend, Ro Myra, at Miles of Music Camp,” de Vitry tells Atwood Magazine. “While we chatted about potential song ideas, one theme in particular that stood out to us was that we both had struggled with pursuing romantic partners that we knew deep down weren’t really the best for us.”
“On the surface, this song tells the story of not everlasting romantic love, but convenient love that does just enough to satiate your human desire. What we wanted to underscore with this song, however, was not regretting choosing something “wrong,” but rather acknowledging the human need to indulge in feelings that may not always completely serve us. Sometimes you just need that space to explore what you’re pulled to explore. Sometimes, you don’t have the energy to pursue your ideal partnership. Sometimes, you’re content with what you have, even when you know you might want something different down the line. And all of those feelings are valid.”
“I also think this song is a lot of fun because it plays with the dichotomy of right and wrong. Many of us are brought up to believe that these are two very distinct things, but I think most things are a lot more fluid than that. At its core, this song gives a sort of permission to explore what we feel called to explore in the moment, no matter where it falls on the perceived right and wrong spectrum.”
Sultry and stirring, “Wrong Thing” is an ode to surrendering to our id – that part of ourselves we’re so often told to tamper down and control, to ignore and avoid at all costs. Musically, the track blends Americana and soul influences with bits of smooth jazz that serve to elevate an already entrancing experience.
“Ro and I actually had a pretty specific vision in mind when we wrote this song,” de Vitry shares. “We are both huge Lake Street Dive and Rachael Price fans, so we wrote this song with that band and her singing in mind. We imagined it to be groovy, have backing vocals, and maybe feature a horn player. All in all, I think the final version is quite similar to what we wanted the song to sound like, and I think we’re both excited about how it turned out!”
“Wrong Thing” opens its audience to a captivating world of warmth and wonder, treating the ears to a veritable feast as de Vitry reminds us to take care of ourselves in today; to do what we need, and not worry about whether or not today’s actions fit into our five- or ten-year plans. “Sometimes you need the wrong thing at the right time.” It’s as much a mantra as it is a mission statement – a sign of empathy and understanding; of our own raw humanity.
You can come on over, uncover all that we’ve had before
I’ve seen all of your moves, nothing new,
but that’s what we’re asking for
I don’t wanna feel the need to impress someone
I only have the energy to undress someone
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
At the right time
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
At the right time
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
“My favorite lyric line in the song is one that Ro wrote, and it’s usually the line people comment on when I sing it at a show,” de Vitry shares. “I don’t wanna feel the need to impress someone, I only have the energy to undress someone. To me, this line is bold and a bit edgy, and not necessarily something I would naturally come up with on my own. I love the unapologetic honesty of it, and that’s the beauty of a co-write… I get to sing a line that I didn’t write and still feel like it is a part of my art. Singing this line is always fun, and I think it catches listeners by surprise sometimes!”
Despite what its lyrics say, “Wrong Thing” is the right thing, at the right time – when it comes to summer song releases. Stream Nina de Vitry’s latest track exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and stay tuned for her debut album What You Feel Is Real, out August 25, 2023!
And always remember to live in the moment.
Someday I’ll find someone
who’s worth more than one date
Make time to make new love
But for now my old friend
You’re more than enough
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
At the right time
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
At the right time
Sometimes you need the wrong thing
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:: stream/purchase Wrong Thing here ::
:: connect with Nina de Vitry here ::
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© Joseph Ross Photography art © Madeline Bechtel
© Joseph Ross Photography
art © Madeline Bechtel:: Stream Nina de Vitry ::
