Meïa Santiago’s new single “I Can’t Stay From You,” produced by Prince’s Music Director and keyboardist Morris Hayes, tells the full arc of a love story. Blending pop, jazz, and Latin with yearning lyrics, Santiago infuses each note with sensuality, infatuation, and heartbreak.
Meïa found inspiration from a relationship that bloomed and ended in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a Spaniard living in New York City, she was particularly vulnerable—being far away from home, friends, and even sense of self. Despite love lost, Meïa’s lyrics center hope: “Through the open window I hear / 3 little birds singing / To make a new start / Sweet love bring me your wings / So I can fly away.” And in the midst of darkness, she rekindled another love: her love of music.
Santiago and Morris Hayes, Prince’s musical collaborator for 15 years, began working together in 2022 and have since brought together a breadth of talent from Spain and the United States. Working almost entirely remotely, they found a rhythm sharing sketches and demos until they landed on the special composition for “I Can’t Stay Away From You.” Meïa co-wrote the lyrics with Hayes and Elsten Torres, a two-time Grammy-nominated BMI’s songwriter.
The band is made of international prestigious musicians as Shelby J (backing vocalist for Prince for almost 10 years, D’Angelo, NPG…), Chris Bailey (drummer for Chaka Khan, Britney Spears, NPG..) Malcolm Joseph (bass player for Grace Jones, Neneh Cherry, Massive Attack…) David Pastor (trumpet player for Celia Cruz, Santiago Auserón, Presuntos Implicados…) among others.
The resulting song combines their wide-ranging musical backgrounds to create a wholly unique production, fluctuating between passionate intensity and the sleek coolness.
Santiago notes, “My work has always explored femininity and sensuality, but “I Can’t Stay Away From You” goes deeper. Aphrodite is the muse—acting as a guide for my lyrics and musical approach. I am eager to write music about love and passion through the lens of the feminine, highlighting the unique power women have in their bodies and emotions.”
In conjunction with the release of her song, Santiago debuted a new video for “I Can’t Stay Away From You” directed by Blake Davis who’s also the photographer of the single’s images and single cover.
They were looking for a retro aesthetic, that could visually translate into images the nostalgia and the sensuality of the music.
They shot the video at Blake’s studio; DreamTone NYC, a studio that has been place of many fashion shootings, music videos for independent artists and other videos for successful hip hop bands.
