The first new single release following their critically-acclaimed 2023 LP Little Bit of Sun, Semisonic return with “Don’t Give Up Yet,”marking their first studio album in more than 20 years. The song is the first in a series of singles the band will be releasing over the next year.
“Don’t Give Up Yet” is a deeply personal message of hope that Dan Wilson began writing for a friend in crisis that expanded into a universal reminder to hold onto hope and remember the fight is far from over. Wilson’s friends asked why it’s ‘Don’t Give Up YET,’ the ‘yet’ means ‘Keep trying – don’t lose heart – you’re so close! Keep your hopes alive, because you’re going to make things better in the end.
“I started writing ‘Don’t Give Up Yet’ for a friend of mine who was going through a terrible chapter. I wanted to tell him he still had time and there still was hope. When I got to the second verse, I realized the song was about something else, too – the fight against the dark philosophy that has stormed our country, our institutions, our freedom, our peace. That’s when the line ‘A king on a throne, Tyrannicus Rex,’ suddenly arrived and my band had a very different song on our hands,” said Wilson … “As they say in baseball, it’s not over yet. So don’t give up yet.’ My wish is that someone who hears the song will take heart and remember that there is still time and that if they keep trying, they’re going to change the world.”
In addition to his work with Semisonic, Dan Wilson remains one of music’s most celebrated songwriters and producers. Taking home both a GRAMMY and CMA Award for Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse” and earned his first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for “It Never Went Away” with Jon Batiste. Recent collaborations span an eclectic range of artists including Jon Batiste, Kathleen Edwards, Celine Dion, Mitski, Taylor Swift, Jessie Murph, Joy Oladokun, Claud, Orville Peck, Suki Waterhouse and many more.
Last night, Semisonic performed at the Varsity Theatre in their hometown of Minneapolis, MN to kick off the Minnesota Yacht Club festival. June 19, the band will perform at the festival alongside The Strokes, Cage The Elephant, Atmosphere and more.
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