I’m a perpetual busy gal; most people know that if they want or need to see me, an appointment needs to be made well in advance. None of that last minute stuff – I need two weeks’ notice at bare minimum. You can either get with the program or leave me in peace if you can’t keep up. But even when I’m blunt (and serving nothing but sass) about how busy-bodied I am, there’s still people who find the audacity to waste my precious time. But thankfully Maya Malkin’s latest single, “Busy Girl”, comes in clutch as my new anthem to blare on my speakers – penetrating even the thickest of skulls out there to comprehend how jam-packed my life is.
“Busy Girl” is not just an anthem; it’s a state of mind for those who consistently find their schedules full, and their calendars filled. The song begins with faraway synths that turn into a bouncy bass to let listeners know this track means a little business and a whole lotta fun. The opening lyrics make it clear that busy girl life entails “running a mile a minute”. But even the fastest of us sometimes get sidetracked by an obstacle and must slow down the pace. “Smack dabbed in the middle” of this endless race, our obstacle comes into view as the shape of another person – and they’ve caught our eye for the moment. With charmingly assertive vocals in the pre-chorus, Malkin brings us out of our reverie and gets our minds back in the race. In a chorus filled with vibrancy, listeners are reminded that they’re that girl on top of a busy girl. Unless this person of interest is willing to keep up, they might as well “hold [our] bag” while we pursue our goals. This is followed up by a realization and gratifying self-assurance in the second verse; busy girls should not feel bad for prioritizing their goals and dropping “dead weight” when this very same weight is refusing to ditch their “training wheels”. Maybe in due time the obstacle-turned-dead weight will eventually catch up. For now, though, we won’t be “breaking a sweat” over that. Because “Busy Girl” is such an absolute mood, that means it defies the gender binary. In plain English, “Busy Girl” is not just for busy women – it’s for busy theys, zies, zirs, and men, too. And we love empowering singles that are gender inclusive.
When Maya Malkin isn’t creating purposeful pop tracks, fans might recognize the artist’s voice from other projects. The Montreal transplant and current Toronto resident initially blew listeners away in Motel Raphaël; an indie-pop band she led alongside Clara Legault. Malkin’s also written jingles and loaned her voice for a handful of commercials. In 2020, the songstress decided to launch her solo project with her debut track, “Hostage”. Since then, Malkin has continued to expand her discography with singles that feature experimental sounds and honest lyrics that evolve into musical therapy – her debut album, Congratulations, being direct proof of this. For fans based in and nearby Toronto, there’s an opportunity to see the artist perform live this Saturday, August 19th at The Drake Underground. Malkin is one of the acts performing for Goodnight Sunrise's ongoing tour. Doors open at 7:00 P.M. and tickets for 19+ attendees can be found here. And as always, if you’ve enjoyed Malkin’s power-tripping single as much as I have, show the artist some virtual love in the form of streams, likes, and follows.
Written by Giavanna Gradaille
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