Follow Okay Mann

Katlin Mathison, better known as Okay Mann is back. The Canadian artist, meticulous in his craft, returns with a magnificent audio and video performance. On November 28, 2017, we introduced you to this artist with “MountainsOn November 28, 2018, exactly one year later, he returned with a new track, “It Won’t Be Long,” and gave us the pleasure of presenting it to you as a preview before its scheduled release on Saturday, December 1st. Thank you for the early Christmas present!

The video takes us to southwest Iceland, where filming took place in just one day, right before flying back to Oslo, Norway, to finalize the song in the studio. An incredible journey, where we discover with pleasure the vast landscapes of this country, Iceland, which is too often overlooked. 

The artist shared with us the genesis of the writing of this new gem: “I was thinking a lot about the work of Max Martin, a prolific Swedish songwriter, and messing around with the chords of “I Want It That Way.” I eventually stumbled upon a progression, and the words “It Won’t Be Long” popped into my head. I developed the story a bit and drew inspiration from the Icelandic film ‘The Last Farm,’ in which an old man prepares to join his wife in death. I know it’s a bit dark, but I started thinking about how I would feel in that situation and why a younger person might need to join their lover in the afterlife. I wanted to play with the themes of suicide and heartbreak, but hide them within a folk song with hopeful undertones. It’s not entirely new—it’s Romeo and Juliet—but it’s hidden beneath the surface. I had written too many verses, so I went on Instagram to whittle it down, simply asking friends and fans which lyrics they felt were the strongest. It was a cool experience!“.

Bravo to the artist, his friends, and his fans! The result is truly successful, and these four minutes of musical pleasure are far too short! The melody is catchy, not aggressive, and remains simple: a guitar, a voice, a few perfectly executed vocal harmonies, and that’s all it takes. Just enough to give us the emotional boost we need before the coming winter. This is sure to warm our hearts.

Next year, the artist plans to perform at festivals, and most importantly, finally release a full album. We can’t wait!