Brenda Cay Copes with Personal Loss on New Single “I Fish”

Music is a powerful thing, just ask Brenda Cay.

Just as it has the power to break our hearts, music has the ability to help us heal. Sometimes we just need to know someone else has gone through the same hard times for us to feel some semblance of comfort.

Cay recognizes the power that music possesses, and drew inspiration from a personal loss to examine coping mechanisms in a year that has dealt a tough hand in her newest single “I Fish.”

“Music allows us to connect in a unique way. ‘I Fish’ is about moving on after losing someone and finding ways to feel close to someone we’ve lost,” says Cay. “This year has been such a hard year for so many people (health, finance, jobs, disconnectedness) that I hoped the theme of loss would resonate on a broader level.”

That loss was far too close to home for Cay, who wrote her new single after the loss of her brother.

“’I Fish’ was inspired by the loss of my younger brother, Brian, who was killed in an accident five years ago. My brothers and I spent a lot of time fishing and boating when we were kids,” says Cay. “Over the years, I have heard my brothers tell countless fishing stories and I still can’t think about fishing without thinking of him.”

As songs so personal so often do, “I Fish” has been met with equally personal responses from listeners. Cay says that response has touched her as the song has continued to make its way to new listeners.

“I spent so much time writing and recording the song and then working on the video that I had to force myself to compartmentalize those feelings for a time. It wasn’t until after the song released that it really hit me,” says Cay. “I think it has been cathartic reading all the comments from others who lost someone who loved to fish. That really helped me knowing that I touched someone else who was grieving.”

Since its release in mid-August, “I Fish” has earned nearly 170,000 streams and has continued to touch new listeners around the world, something Cay attributes to the universal nature of the song.

“Most of us have lost a loved one at some time in our life and I think the lines in the chorus, ‘Everybody’s got a way of feeling close to somebody they miss. Some visit graves, some pray, I fish,’ ring true,” says Cay. “We might not do the same things to feel close to that person, but we all have our own process and that’s what connects us to each other and to this song.”

The success of “I Fish” continues the success that Cay has found with the two additional singles she’s released in 2020, “1-2-3 Floor” and “Unplug and Recharge,” which has allowed her to overcome personal doubts and humbled her.

“The only word I can come up with is amazing and that doesn’t seem like a big enough word to describe how I feel. As a songwriter, you never know how others will react to a song and so it can be scary to ‘bear your soul’ to the world,” says Cay. “As an artist, I’ve been told that I would never ‘make it.’ So after overcoming all of my self-doubt and putting my heart into releasing these songs, I am so humbled by all the likes and comments on social media, and having so many people streaming my songs is a dream come true.”

As she continues to ride out the success she’s finding in 2020, Cay says she is continuing to hone her craft and preparing new music and an expanded live setlist in 2021.

“I’m writing new songs and working on recording them for release in 2021. I am rehearsing and expanding my set list with new songs and cover songs so that when venues open up, I will have new material ready. I’m also very excited to be working with Heart Songs Records and Publicity Nation to help me build my brand and prepare for touring,” says Cay. “I’m looking forward to 2021. I think it’s going to be a great year full of new challenges and rewards. I’m eager to get back out and perform and I look forward to getting to know my fans better.”