Quinn O’Donnell Confesses Her Affection In “Train of Thought”

Nashville-hailing singer-songwriter and alternative recording artist Quinn O'Donnell unleashes her passionate "Train of Thought" in a new and sweet-sounding ballad.

Known across Nashville for her raw and emotional performances, Quinn O'Donnell's unique blend of alternative rock and atmospheric songwriting never fails to swoon listeners with a timeless yet unique sound. Inspired by Death Cab for Cutie and Radiohead, O'Donnell's sound is heavily rooted in the early 2000s and late 90s.

Quinn O'Donnell has amassed a loyal following around Nashville that continually returns to experience her raw and cathartic tunes, like her recent single, "Train of Thought." This is by far one of the most personal and passionate songs we've heard this year; it's the perfect modern-day ballad that blends lush alternative vibes with a sincere singer-songwriter edge.

Diving deeper into "Train of Thought," we're sonically greeted with a soft acoustic guitar picking away at our hearts, leading into Quinn O'Donnell's personal first verse. Her gentle vocals and reflective lyrics take listeners deep into the heart of the song's concept, expanding on all sorts of cherished memories that led us to the person we were meant for all along.

"Make me feel alive like I can touch the sky, and I can do whatever I want to," passionately sings a spirited Quinn O'Donnell while wanting to better herself to be the best version she can for that special someone. It's an incredibly delicate and tender piece that lets listeners lose themselves in Quinn O'Donnell's dreamy vocals and her equally ethereal instrumentals.

We invite you to sing your heart out and experience the palpable passion within Quinn O'Donnell's newest heartfelt single, "Train of Thought," now available on all digital streaming platforms.

Welcome to BuzzMusic, Quinn O'Donnell. We adored every single second of your heartfelt new single, "Train of Thought." When did you start feeling a need to create this passionate ballad? What inspired you?

Thank you for having me! I'm glad that you guys enjoyed the song. I wrote the song in the fall of 2020. At the time, I was really inspired by the band Sun Kil Moon, in particular, a song Mark Kozelek wrote called "Ben's My Friend". On first listen, the song seems very abstract and pointless but has this overarching melancholic undertone. I'd never heard such a unique lyric and wanted to attempt to write something like it for fun. Besides that song, I also loved Salvia Plath's entire "melanchole" album. That record inspired this song in particular, but also a lot of the other songs on this upcoming album.

Was it easy to throw yourself into your songwriting process and write such affectionate lyricism for "Train of Thought?" What was that process like?

It was somewhat easy, just because I had a lot of emotions that I wanted to process therapeutically at the time. I pride myself on writing things I really mean, even if, later in life, I decide differently. But I love the word "affectionate", it is, in a way, a very crestfallen love song, yet it still has a lot of optimism for the future.

What was your vision for the overall sound and vibe of "Train of Thought?" What was your intention for the song's instrumentals?

I'm so glad you asked! There is a lot of symbolism in the instrumentals in this song, in particular the drums, which have this chugging effect, like a train. Karl, my drummer, and producer, is super talented and really shared my vision for where I wanted this song to go. Even the backup vocals, which I did, have a sound similar to a train whistle. The song was written in late summer, and I wanted it to sound like something you could listen to when the sun sets.

Are passionate and personal songs like "Train of Thought" a common theme for you? Do you usually create songs about your relationship experiences?

I would say so, yes. I like to write about things that inspire me, and I would say that relationships play a role in that. I also like to write about people in general, just because I meet a lot of interesting people; they're all so different in their own way. This song's overall theme is about someone who I found inspiring and interesting and wanted to be a better person because of. I think we, as human beings, can push each other to be better people and live with intention.

What's next for you?

I will be releasing a sophomore, full-length record this winter called "Wherefore Art Thou?" I'll also be playing a couple of shows with my band, The Lonely Hearts! Come say hi!

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