Yawn is the current recording project of Julia McDougall, a musician who has ties to both the Berlin music scene and Canadian folk scene. Today we’re excited to premiere her latest single, a track called “Wasting Time,” which is a dreamy, synth-driven pop song that features a strong electronic-influenced electronic drum beat and McDougall’s rich, powerful vocals.

As she leads “Wasting Time” with the quasi-titular lyrics, “I don’t wanna waste / I don’t wanna waste anymore time,” the lush instrumentation swirls around her. Progressing through the first verse, additional elements of musical accompaniment are layered into the mix, giving the song a sophistication and level of depth that’s not seen in much of the indie pop world.

The song has an uplifting theme, encouraging everyone – but particularly artists or people who are ‘committed to a life that is aligned with their truest self’ – to perservere through difficult times. This is a particularly relevant message during the age of COVID-19, which the limitations presented by the pandemic threaten many peoples’ livelihoods. This message is relevant in McDougall’s own life. She was accepted to an international songwriting residency at the prestigious Centre for the Arts in the mountain city of Banff, Alberta in March 2020. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic it was cut short almost immediately.

“This is a song about what it really means to commit to life as an artist: the risks involved, how to counteract all the expectations from the people around you, and how it’s a difficult path to choose,” said McDougall. “For me, ‘Wasting Time’ is about carrying on against the odds, accepting who I am as an artist, and persevering in spite of everything. ‘Wasting Time’ is dedicated to everyone who is struggling or searching and most especially to those who have committed to a life that is aligned with their truest self.”

McDougall worked in the Berlin music scene for years, producing a self-titled debut EP alongside well-known and well-respected Polaris Prize winning musician Andy Shauf. The EP reached #1 on Vancouver college radio station CITR and at the end of the year, was in the top 100 albums played by the station.