Trinelise Væring Releases An Anthem of Resilience, "I’m Not A Quitter”

Trinelise Væring’s latest single, “I’m Not A Quitter,” is a gritty Americana track all about resilience. 

Wrapped in dobro slides and Western guitar twangs that hit with the same force as her lyrics, this song feels personal, like a peek into the mind of an artist who’s been through the wringer but still won’t back down.

The inspiration for “I’m Not A Quitter” came after Væring stumbled on an interview with Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, who had stepped away from music to open a café called “Quitters.” That word stuck with Væring—so much so that it encouraged her to write a song declaring the exact opposite. “I’m not done yet,” she sings, defiant and determined, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

Væring recorded the track in Vancouver with producer John Raham, infusing it with a rustic, bluesy feel that captures the song’s unpolished energy. 

The creative process was spontaneous—Væring admits she wrote it mid-dinner prep and recorded the first demo on her phone. That unfiltered spirit carries into the final version, making the track feel as organic as the moment it was born.

“I’m Not A Quitter” sets the stage for A Songwriter’s Odyssey, her upcoming album which will be released on January 21, 2025. Here, Væring weaves Americana influences and pushes herself into new creative territory with a determined, reflective spirit. 

Welcome to Buzz, Trinelise Væring.Your latest song, “I’m Not A Quitter,” draws on themes of resilience. What inspires you to keep yourself determined on your hardest days?

It’s not that hard for me to stay determined since I am obsessed with music in many forms and styles, so despite the disappointments and setbacks that we all encounter in this industry and in life in general, music always draws me back in.

I studied different things, like attending architecture school as a young woman, and in recent years, I earned a master’s in communication. But as much as I love learning new things, I find there is always a new song I need to sing, making everything else seem less compelling.

I do think it is easier to keep going when you get your kicks from the music itself rather than from being the center of attention or from being on stage. With that kind of motivator, you are more vulnerable. I am trying, though, to learn not to bang my head against locked doors and to stop myself from sending ten more emails when one is rejected. I do need to learn to take a step back now and then. So, in fact, I need to learn how to quit - at least for a while.

The song’s recording came together quickly. Do you feel spontaneity often brings out the best in your music, or do you usually prefer more structured songwriting?

I usually work on my songs for quite a while, so this one was more of a “one-off,” so to speak. However, for the first draft of a song, I find it always works best to stay in the creative flow and not step away from it before I get the first framework of the song. It is super important not to judge yourself during this stage of the creative process and to try to accept whatever comes out.

I usually say you have to write that “bad” song you think you’re writing, as it clears the way for the good song waiting right behind it. Often, with a few adjustments, that first song turns out to be a good song, too. That’s pretty much what happened with “Quitter.” I was sure it wasn’t any good; there were too few chord changes, and it seemed too easy to write to convince me in the first place. But that just goes to show.

You recorded this song during a period of creative renewal after lockdowns. What did that break teach you about your relationship with music, and how did it shift your approach to this new album?

That break was good for me - and for many other artists, too. Not financially, of course, but in terms of focus. In a regular day-to-day with live gigs and family etc, it is not always easy to carve out time to develop new material and stay in that creative flow I mentioned before. Every time you open social media, you see the other artists on tour and think, “Oh, I can’t just sit here and write; I need to be out there.” But taking a step back to focus while developing new material is important - at least for me.

During lockdowns, I also discovered that, contrary to what I thought, I was fully motivated without getting any of that audience love and on-the-road-buzz. I just closed my door and got down to work. Having realized that about myself has made me stronger. I now think of my drive as a kind of secret superpower- something within me. I feel more resilient, probably, and more grateful even.

Americana and alt-country are new genres for you. Do you feel like these styles allowed you to express parts of yourself that might not have fit within your previous musical work?

I can’t honestly say Americana is a new genre for me, but writing and releasing a whole album in that style is new. And leaning into that more straight country vibe on several songs is new. Furthermore, in country music, it seems to me that there is no other agenda than writing the best song.

The songs are the heart of the genre. I have, of course, always strived to write the best possible songs, but in Jazz, for instance, where I started out, there is a different agenda since improvisation is such an important part of it, and you need to think of your songs as vehicles for improvisation too. In pop, the production itself often seems to be the focal point.

I also work with a 10-piece band, Tone of Voice Orchestra, where we have a very unorthodox instrumentation, four vocalists, hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, saxophone, etc. In that game, the orchestration plays a big role when we write.

Whereas when I was writing and recording my new album, my focus was all about my songwriting. So, to answer your question, “yes,” those styles allowed the songwriter in me to take the spotlight.

What role does vulnerability play in your music? Do you ever feel conflicted about sharing so much of yourself in your lyrics, or is that honesty essential to your process?

I do try to be bold and not hide behind my songs. Even when the protagonist isn’t me, I often sing in first person because I want to take responsibility for the character, and the story she “tells” is mine anyway. With this album, I specifically decided I wanted to lay the cards on the table, so to speak.

I wrote the first song after hearing a song by the Scottish singer-songwriter Josienne Clarke. As I remember it, she had a line that went, “it’s not Chicago’s fault, no one came to see my show.” I remember thinking, wow, that is bold! We are all so used to going on social media and writing, “Thank you, xxx city, for coming out.” Even if the turnout wasn’t great, we post a selfie that doesn’t expose that fact. We keep up appearances and perform.

I decided I wanted to write lyrics with something at stake. And I have tried to keep that in mind while writing the album. I admit, there is one song - “Getting the Hang of Being a Failure”- that I am slightly worried about in that respect. It could be misunderstood and backfire because some might hear it as defensive or pathetic. I’ll have to wait and see how that goes down.

Instagram

Facebook