MERLIN’s "GLISTEN" Creates A Magnificent, Heartfelt, And Magical Vocal Moment
- 🌟 Miles Carter
- Jun 17
- 4 min read
By: Miles Carter
MERLIN’s "GLISTEN" pulls heartbreak into something magnificent, heartfelt, and magical, creating the kind of vocal connection that feels impossible to ignore.
We got together with MERLIN for an exciting interview to delve into the stories and happenings behind the making of this latest release and learn more about the artist in "The Cage" Digital Magazine and we are excited to share it with you!
Begin Interview:
The Cage: Hello MERLIN, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more excited to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. We always listen to music raw the first time because we want the song to show us who the artist is without outside influence. When we read your press release, we noticed you spoke about wanting a real connection with the audience and how intentional you are from the production onward. What made that connection so important to your music, and how did you stay so focused on preserving that emotional honesty while still creating such a beautiful, polished sound?
A. It’s really important to me that people feel the lyrics instead of simply hearing them. I want listeners to understand how powerful music can be. Whether a song directly relates to your life or not, the emotion behind every phrase can still hit you hard. I want my music to be something people can use to channel their own emotions. The polished sound came naturally because I never started with production in mind; I started with the feeling. Everything else was built around protecting that emotion rather than dressing it up.
Q. We need to know: was “GLISTEN” built from the tears and heartbreak of one specific experience, or did it come from a collection of painful moments? What made you choose the lyrics you did, and which line carries the most meaning for you personally?
A. GLISTEN came from one specific experience: losing a relationship that I genuinely believed was eternal. I thought I’d found my soulmate, and when it ended it completely shattered my world and my sense of self. I remember sitting alone after they left, and after trying to ignore everything I was feeling for so long, the lyrics just poured out of me. I couldn’t hold them in anymore. The line that means the most to me is, “The world keeps on turning without you.” It hurts because it’s true. No matter how broken you feel, life keeps moving, and you have to somehow learn how to move with it.
Q. Do most of your songs come from a deeply emotional place? When you write from that kind of pain, does it make you feel more affected by the experience, or does it help you process it and move through it?
A. Most of my songs come from a deeply emotional place. I write when the urge to get the emotions out becomes too strong. I can’t stand holding these feelings and ideas inside me; they need to become words. Writing actually brings me relief. It’s like storing my thoughts and feelings somewhere safe that I can revisit whenever I need to, whether that’s to reconnect with those emotions or to help me work through nostalgic pain.
Q. What do you hope listeners take away when they hear “GLISTEN,” both from the song itself and from you as an artist?
A. If someone hears GLISTEN and then meets me, I hope they understand that pain can always be expressed and reformed into something beautiful. I want people to know that they’re not alone in what they’re feeling and that even heartbreak can become art.
Q. For fans who are just discovering you now, do you have an interest in exploring other styles or genres of music? Are there any sounds or directions that already feel like they are in your sights?
A. Absolutely. R&B and dark pop have always excited me. I love music that feels cinematic and emotionally heavy. Joji has been a massive influence on me because his music has this incredible ability to communicate emotion through both sound and lyrics. That’s something I’ve really adopted in my own work. I want people to feel what they need to feel, regardless of what they’re going through.
Q. Where are you currently living, and how does that environment affect your music and your creative path? Do you see that changing in the future, or is your current environment part of what shapes your sound?
A. I’m currently based in Southend. I think every place leaves its fingerprints on your art, and Southend has definitely shaped me. There’s a strange contrast to it: moments of beauty and calm alongside moments that can feel isolating and restless. I think my music sits in that same space. While I’d love to experience creating in different places in the future, where I am right now has played an important part in forming my perspective and, ultimately, my sound.
Q. How do you imagine presenting your music live? Do you see it as stripped-back and intimate, or do you picture something larger and more atmospheric?
A. I want people to feel like they’ve stepped into my mind. I’d love the shows to feel immersive and atmospheric, almost like the audience is experiencing my soul in real time. More than anything, I want people to leave feeling seen. I want them to know they aren’t alone in their pain and that they can turn their own torment into art too.
The Cage: MERLIN, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared MERLIN’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
