Andy McLaughlan is an up-and-coming artist, and What Will You Say leaves no chance to turn the eye! Andy, born in Glasgow, Scotland, was making a very big and life-altering choice in quitting the hustle and bustle of the city and relocating to a small studio on the sea. This move evidently was successful, as it helped him find his artistic voice in the most beautiful manner.
After his solo debut If I Be Damned, Andy releases a song, which demonstrates actual and thrilling progress in the sound and narrative. What Will You Say is a scene directly ripped out of an impressive movie. It begins tenderly and gradually develops with determined purpose into a broad, heartfelt and highly intimate thing. Each component is well positioned making the music to be clear with a heavy emotional burden.
It all centers on the voice of Andy. It begins in a low and intimate tone, and then increases in real urgency as the song progresses. The song addresses that tough and sincere time when the truth cannot be evaded, particularly in relationships.
What Will You Say is an ambitious, filmic, and emotionally compelling movie at every turn. Andy McLaughlan is only beginning, and this is an artist that you need to keep on your radar list!
Listen to What Will You Say
Follow Andy Mclaughlan on
What Will You Say” drips with moody, cinematic atmosphere, what specific “looking back and questioning everything” moment sparked this dark, honest track?
It’s less one moment and more that overall feeling of looking back and clocking that your actions actually have consequences. You start asking yourself—if I had the same choices again, would I do anything differently? That’s really where it comes from.
Handling writing, production, and performance solo, what drew you to that stripped, immersive style for this brooding reflection?
It just suits where my head’s at right now. I’m really focused on the production side, so doing it myself lets me follow the idea all the way through without breaking it. I still love playing with other people and I’ll be taking it out live, but for this, it made sense to keep it in-house.
Arthur Pingrey (Sting, Sia) on the mix elevated the raw emotive sound, how did his touch amplify the haunting textures and driving drums?
He brought clarity and weight to it. Everything just sits where it should, the drums hit properly, and the space feels right. It’s that final bit of polish—maybe 10%—but it’s the 10% that makes the difference.
Recording on the Scottish coast must’ve infused some magic, did the location’s isolation shape the intimate yet expansive feel?
Yeah, I guess the hills and the sea have their own kind of magic. It’s a quieter pace of life, fewer distractions, and you definitely get more done. That all feeds into the music.
Brooding lyrics meet space for emotional weight, how did you balance intimacy with that cinematic scale suited for visuals?
It’s mainly restraint. Keep the vocal front and centre, don’t overcrowd the track, and let everything else support it. If you get that right, it can feel intimate but still have that wider, cinematic thing going on.
You nailed a “very specific mood” of consequence and reflection, what real-life vibes or influences fed into the introspective core?
It’s just that awareness of your own decisions and where they’ve led you. No big external reference, just being honest about it and not dressing it up too much.
From late-night listens to storytelling potential, what inspired this versatile, haunting vibe in your evolving sound?
I like all types of music, but when I’m making it, I just seem to be drawn to this kind of material at the moment. That could change.
Assembling a band for summer lives, how do you envision “What Will You Say” hitting on stage with your recent and upcoming material?
We’ll see. It won’t be about copying the record exactly, but keeping the same atmosphere and energy. Live, it can open up a bit more—maybe get a bit more unhinged in a good way.
As a Scottish producer going dark and cinematic, what’s the backstory on building this emotive world in your coastal studio?
It’s just about having a space where you can stay in that mindset and actually finish things. The setup’s simple, but it works—it lets me focus on the feeling rather than overthinking it.
Fans are streaming it now, what’s one line or moment in “What Will You Say” you’re most stoked for them to unpack?
“On the summit where sparrows die, the eagle flies.” It’s a bit cheesy. Sparrows flock, eagles don’t. That’s a thought I’ve come back to a lot over the years.
