Browse By

WILL LINLEY Releases Sublime Debut Single ‘miss me (when you’re gone)’

Complete with aesthetically pleasing visuals and a charming lyric video, this track is an endearing depiction of young infatuation and romance.  

WILL LINLEY

Photo: Abongwe Booi

Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Will Linley is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter and musician who grew up in a musical family and studied singing during high school. After his education, Will never imagined that a career in music could be his reality but, when the pandemic struck and he was isolated during lockdown, he began writing and recording music with his guitar in his bedroom. After uploading a few songs to SoundCloud, Will was introduced to producer David Balshaw by a mutual friend and he was motivated to pursue a career in music. Throughout the pandemic, Will has been working with David and his production partner Bubele Booi (also known by their collaborative name Noble) both virtually and in David’s Cape Town studio.

Will has amassed a significant international following on TikTok, due to his charming nature and universal lyricism, but what he is most excited about is the South African connections he has made through his music. He plans to sustain these creative relationships by collaborating with Noble and the miss me (when you’re gone) music video director Abongwe Booi again in the future. Admirably, Will’s South African heritage is very important to him and his music, and he notes:

A phrase commonly used amongst South Africans is ‘We’re stronger together’ and that is something I want to bring through in my music. It’s exciting to have the place I call home on display through my art. After all, my story is a South African story.

Will’s debut single miss me (when you’re gone) contains irresistible melodies and emotionally transparent lyricism such as “always gone through life in the backseat, if you walk out, I’ll crash now”, and this flawless combination is what makes the track so memorable and addictive. Since he teased the single on TikTok, which increased Will’s listeners even before he released music, it is no wonder that this infectious track is making such huge waves already.

Will shares:

‘miss me (when you’re gone)’ is a very personal song for me. I had met someone who I felt brought out the best part of me. The song is about me realising that I’m going to miss the person that I am when I am around her, when we can no longer be together.

I put my own feelings into my songs, but I know that so many of those feelings are universal and true for others. It’s my hope that listeners can find some form of connection with the lyrics. If someone feels seen or heard from listening to one of my songs, that’s incredible. For me, it’s about being open and honest and if I can impact someone’s life in a positive way that’s amazing. I think that’s the most beautiful gift that could come from all of this.

With his debut single amassing over 1.5 million streams already and receiving notable playlist support from Spotify and Apple, Will’s future as an emerging pop artist is looking extremely bright and hopeful.