Abby Sage Meditates on the Importance of Self-Exploration on "Residing in the Sky"

Photo: cloudyytots

LA-via-Toronto singer-songwriter Abby Sage continues on her summer of singles with her newest release, "Residing in the Sky." After exploring the loss of self that occurs when you become emotionally stretched too thin in her last, soft-spun acoustic single, "Wasting Away," her follow-up effort acts as a tender meditation on the importance of self-love.

"Residing In The Sky" opens with a melancholic acoustic guitar and Abby reflecting on a past relationship. "I found myself slipping away from someone who I loved," shares Sage. "I was growing tired of bearing someone else’s burdens during what felt like a pivotal time in my life, so I set him and myself free." Hallmarked by a patient arrangement that grows in complexity with the steady addition of reverb-heavy guitars and orchestral synths, "Residing in the Sky" evolves to reflect Abby’s personal growth. "I’m holding hands with my progress / I’m the one I’m tryna impress," she proclaims on the track.

The accompanying music video is equally captivating. It opens with Sage sitting alone in a party full of people, soaked in a soft red glow. She stares into the camera as she sings the opening line, "I’m making love to my future / treat her right in case I need her." According to Sage, this is her favorite line on the whole song, and writing this was a defining moment in creating this project. To her, it captured the switch of focus from someone else to herself and explained that she "felt boundless and fully in charge, and that’s the whole narrative of the song."

The entire video, directed by Sage’s best friend Cloudy Thoughts, plays into an Alice in Wonderland-type theme. After she leaves the red room, we see her transported to an alternate plane where she is alone, donning a black dress and a headband made of monarch butterflies, commonly known as a symbol of rebirth. “I knew I wanted it to feel self explorative and curious, which is portrayed through the location switching from a social setting to a strange room alone," explains Sage. "It plays into that euphoric feeling of redefining yourself when taken out of a familiar environment and finding your footing in a new one."

Listen to "Residing in the Sky" below: