Interview: Siobhan Bodrug Chats About New Single "Ten"

What inspired the creation of this single?

“Ten” was born out of my first real courtship with a fellow musician, which ended in a bitter breakup. Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen were his musical heroes, so when I teamed up with co-writers Brent Bodrug and Adrian Morningstar we turned this negative experience into the ultimate breakup anthem. Fittingly named after Pearl Jam’s iconic debut album Ten.

What story or message does the song convey?

The story behind Ten is about the end of a relationship that got completely out of control and resentful. When we wrote Ten, it felt like a way for me to take back the respect that I was never shown in the relationship. The tone of the song is much angrier than I was at the time, but it was cathartic to say out loud what someone’s inside voice might be afraid to say. Ten is for anyone who feels angry and disrespected in a relationship!

Can you tell us about the creative process?

In 2024 I met a wonderful producer-songwriter called Adrian Morningstar at a writing camp. We really connected in that session, so I told my producer/co-writer Brent that I wanted to set up a writing session for the three of us! It was around the time of my first tour, so I was feeling super inspired, but had only really written about ex-boyfriends and felt like I wanted to write in some new directions! Adrian started playing this sick guitar riff, and then I was like “maybe just one more ex-boyfriend song!” We finished writing the song in 2 hours and the lyrics haven’t changed from the time it was written to the produced version. The rawness of that session remains intact. At the time, we didn’t know it would become a staple of our live set but it is! We open most shows with Ten, and it is one of my favourite co-writes we’ve ever done! As we’ve performed the song in various venues across Canada and the US, the band arrangement has evolved to reflect the rawness of the lyric with heavier guitar and more aggressive rhythms. So we took the production in that direction too!

How does this song differ from your previous releases?

Our previous releases have definitely leaned more into a pop sensibility, but this one definitely incorporates more of a rock element. It’s a natural evolution as the tones in the live show have gotten dirtier and more assertive. So get ready for a killer pop-rock breakup anthem!

What challenges did you face while writing or recording?

Ten was written, along with many of the songs that are going to be on my album “Imperfect”, during a couple months in 2024. I was obsessed with writing breakup songs and found it difficult to write about anything else. Lyrically, most everything from this period deals in softer emotions like melancholy, sadness, or hope. On this one however, we went for coarser, unrefined emotional content, and I am so grateful for that because it felt like my introduction to writing rock. Brent and I normally produce the songs before we take them to the band to play live. During the production, there’s always cool part discoveries as the inner workings of the songs reveal themselves, and this always informs how the band interprets the songs. With Ten however, we started playing the song with the band long before we started on the production, so there were preconceived ideas built in. But rather than simply document the band version (we wouldn’t want to spoil an upcoming release <wink wink>), we wanted to keep the discovery process alive, which for this song required a reinvention of sorts. It took several conversations between Brent and I to try and figure out how we wanted to approach this recording, but I think we were able to retain the feeling of the band performance, while discovering new things that will influence how the band plays it going forward! It was a challenge but we’re really proud of what we came up with!

Did you experiment with any new instruments, techniques, or styles?

My producer Brent Bodrug and I are always experimenting with new sounds and approaches. Since Ten is more unfiltered emotionally and rocks live, we experimented with heavier guitar tones and distorted organs and electric pianos. Past releases have used acoustic instruments and much cleaner electric sounds. Ten was asking for dirt, so we used our Rickenbacker 360 into a cranked Matchless amp, and our Les Paul Special into a dialed up Hiwatt amp for the first time on one of my songs.

Is there a personal connection or story tied to the lyrics?

Definitely. As I’ve mentioned, the song is about my first real adult relationship with another musician. From that situation, I discovered a lot about myself and what I wanted from future relationships. I also learned what it feels like to be taken advantage of and disrespected, two things I’d be happy to never have to feel again. Ten is a diss track, that’s really about demanding respect. I handle situations differently than this in my own life, but that’s what the song needed and so did I.

Have you performed it live yet, and what was the audience’s reaction?

We have been performing Ten for a couple of years now so we’ve had feedback from many audiences! It’s usually our band opener! The song has definitely evolved over the course of two years. We used to perform the song as a duo but now with the band it’s taken on a new life, that really encapsulates the essence of the lyric. It seems to resonate with a lot of our audience, and people really love the references to Eddie Vedder and Ryan Tedder in the lyric.

Is this single part of a larger project, like an album or EP?

Yes! Ten is a part of my debut record “Imperfect” set to drop in February! We are in the final stages of recording and are so excited for you to hear it! Stay tuned.

Anything Else You'd Like Your Fans to Know.

My release party is set for February 4 in Toronto, details to be announced very soon! Please keep in touch. We have a lot of exciting things happening before the end of the year - follow @siobhanbodrugmusic on all social media platforms!