North Carolina-based Americana singer-songwriter Doriana Spurrell sat down with @skopemag to talk about her new EP, “Forward” (out now).
@skopemag: Tell us about your new EP, “Forward.”
Doriana: This EP features five original songs. It’s the first music project I’ve ever recorded and released, so this whole process has been so exciting to experience. I’m a lover of poetry and storytelling, so the songs on “Forward” are essentially a demonstration of that.
@skopemag: How did you gather this collection of songs together?
Doriana: I wrote all of these songs at the height of the pandemic in my high school dorm room. A lot of my writing has drawn from the emotions of the pandemic, so these songs really center around that. Whether it’s loss, love, or internal struggles, I view “Forward” as a positive from all the negatives Covid brought.
@skopemag: What is the story behind the song “Sunday”?
Doriana: Lots of my inspiration comes from seeing how many have struggled in this pandemic. I’ve seen such adversity for so many families including my own. “Sunday” shows my appreciation for how I saw love trump all. When love is really strong, no matter what happens, I think families are able to overcome anything with that. I’ve often felt desperate, even as a young child, to help my family in ways that I couldn’t at the time – with money or stress – sometimes all I felt I could give was my love and hope it would be enough.
@skopemag: What is your favorite song on the EP?
Doriana: It is “Never Needed Words,” which is dedicated to my grandfather who passed from Covid in 2020. This was such a special song to write, especially since it felt like it wrote itself. I was in so much pain after he passed, and music was there for me. I wanted to write something in his memory, something that encompassed how grateful I was to have him in my life. It made me realize how many moments we experience in our lives together which radiate love, even if it’s never said out loud.
