Conor Maynard releases a deeply personal, new single entitled, “By Your Side,” about the indescribable sensation of fighting for a relationship that’s falling apart and coming to an end with no reset button in sight. There comes a time in a strenuous relationship where you know it’s over in your head, but your heart can’t seem to get the memo. You know they’re no longer the best fit for you, but they’ve been the missing puzzle piece to complete you for so long, and you don’t even really remember what life was like before they waltzed in and stole your heart. Some people are too important to become just a memory. You think of the story you’ll tell your kids about how you met instead of the cautionary tale of who broke your heart. Love can be a rollercoaster with ups, down, twists, turns, and never-ending loops, but rides can be enjoyable and addicting, and there’s a reason people wait in line to do them over and over again. Sometimes love can feel like you’re drowning, and you don’t know which way is up or which way is down, but you’d rather hold your breath for eternity underwater than take a gasping breath of fresh air with anyone else. Ending a relationship means giving up your hopes and dreams for the future, and nobody wants to start new when your heart is still in the thick of it, so you continue on, you swear up and down you’ll do better, but you know deep inside that you’re driving a freight train full speed into a brick wall, but for just a moment, you close your eyes, hold their hand, and enjoy the ride with them by your side.
“By Your Side” is the second release of Maynard’s series of singles inspired by the arduous breakup he went through in the winter of ’22. The dark and cold nights synonymous with a freshly broken heart. This gut-wrenching tale of grappling with a relationship that is too far gone to be repaired, but you’re in too deep to extricate yourself, is one that is all too relatable, no matter the circumstances that surround it. “By Your Side” is Maynard’s heartfelt message to his loyal fans who continued to reach out and check in on him in the wake of his heartbreak and sudden disappearance from social media, as he took the much needed time for self-love, self-reflection, and a safe, quiet place to heal. He left the lyrics open for interpretation to deal with any disintegration of a relationship, because love is not the only connection that can break your heart or feel impossible to walk away from. Although his passion and raw-talent are reminiscent of all his music, sonically this song is vastly unique to his arsenal of work, and he drew inspiration from artists like the 1975 and The Weeknd who leave it all on the track. Although the instrumentals are quite upbeat, the lyrics draw you in to those nights spent on your bathroom floor amidst your very first heartbreak. Conor collaborated with one of his closest friends on this track, writing and scrapping more than 50 songs before finding the exemplary balance to translate the excruciating story in a way that felt the most authentic to him. “By Your Side” is just the beginning of Maynard’s new era of creativity and collection of heartbreak and healing.
Conor Maynard is a 30-year-old powerhouse singer/songwriter from Brighton, England. A constant pioneer in his field, Conor was one of the first home-grown talents to transition from Youtube to Pop stardom touring around the world. He has never been afraid to experiment or explore new grounds of the industry, and he is constantly reaching new audiences during his career, but he has never, nor will ever, compromise what speaks to him as an artist. Maynard’s debut album, Contrast, secured a longstanding number one spot in the UK charts and five UK top ten singles. What followed was devoted fans and international recognition with world tours, awards, and iconic collaborations. Ever ambitious, Conor even starred in Broadway’s Kinky Boots to premiere one more side to his multi-faceted aptitude as an artist and performer. In March 2020, Conor decided to step out on his own as an independent artist, having spent a decade signed to a major label and achieving global success, and he continues to stay true to himself and take the world by storm. One week after he decided to step out on his own, the UK went into lockdown, and while this might’ve deterred many artists or given them a free-pass to take a pause, Maynard worked harder than ever and took his career to unchartered heights, and in just one year, he accumulated over 300 million streams across Spotify and Apple Music, without any major label backing. He has now garnered over 2.5 billion views on YouTube, 2 billion streams on Spotify, and has quickly become one of the most followed artists on TikTok in the UK. Maynard has come full circle as he takes full control of his career from his home studio, and instead of getting discovered as a young kid, he now has discovered exactly who he is and exactly where he wants to go with his decade-long success and complete creative freedom!!
Written By Grace Chapman
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