Songwriter and performer Stephen Day is just trying to capture a little time capsule of himself every time he plays. That’s what he tells American Songwriter as the artist is set to release new music into the world. In fact, we at American Songwriter are excited to premiere his latest single. “Sweet Iced Tea” features the golden-voiced singer Allen Stone.
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A track perfect for summer, “Sweet Iced Tea” is the kind of track that will quench your thirst for soul music. It might even give you a jolt of caffeinated energy. Sip along with us as we sample the new track and have a chat with Day about the current soul movement, his collaborations, and his love of music.
American Songwriter: It seems like there’s a bubbling soul music movement happening in the world. Do you feel that and feel part of it?
Stephen Day: I definitely feel that. It feels like people are dying for some music that moves the soul and speaks through feeling, melody, and emotion. I’ve always considered myself a part of that world and am honored to be a part of the moment that is happening right now. While I don’t always feel like a straight down the middle representation of soul music, I’m heavily inspired by those roots, and elements of it can be found all throughout my music. My goal has and always will be to bring people together, and I believe nothing does that better than soul music.
AS: How did you connect with Allen Stone, and what was the genesis of this song?
SD: Allen and I connected over Instagram DMs in 2020. I think I sent him a dumb selfie of me and said, “Trynna hang?” Within the week, he’d told me he had been a fan of my music for a minute and flew me out to film a Christmas special with him. As for the song, I was writing it with some friends here in Nashville. As we were tracking down the demo, I just couldn’t get his voice out of my mind. I think there was something in the chord progression and the melody that was just so inspired by him. He was one of my biggest influences when I was in high school. So his flavor finds itself in my writing often, and I wonder if that’s what happened. I just had to hear his voice on it.
AS: What’s next for you as you continue to grow your career?
SD: I’m more excited than ever to be making new music and playing shows. The last tour I went out on, there was just this electricity between me and the crowds. It was like we were all on the same page. I’m working on more music now and just always trying to get to a new place sonically that feels like me at the moment. Just trying to capture a little time capsule of me every time I record.
AS: What do you love most about making music?
SD: I think I’ve always been obsessed with the idea of chasing down some bit of sonic identification. Trying to fuse genres and worlds that I love to the point where they just feel like the genre of Stephen Day. So, the more I make music, the more I think that gap closes. I just want to make music that moves me, and the hope is that, in turn, it moves others.
Photo via Bobby Crane and Missing Piece Group
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