Delaney Bailey “How To” Meaning: A Deep Dive into the Concave Opener

Delaney Bailey’s “How To” is the Existential Lullaby We Didn’t Know We Needed

If you’ve been following Delaney Bailey since her “j’s lullaby” days, you know she has a gift for making a bedroom feel like a cathedral. But with her new single “How To”—the opening track of her debut album Concave—she’s doing something much heavier than just writing a love song. She’s writing a manual for staying human.

The Meaning Behind the “Commands”

At first listen, “How To” feels like a gentle stream of consciousness. But when you lean in, the lyrics are actually quite heartbreaking. Delaney wrote this while processing her grandmother’s struggle with dementia, and that fear of “losing the plot” of your own life haunts every line.

When she sings about taking vitamins or using her hands, she isn’t giving us wellness advice. She’s literally giving herself orders to stay present. It’s a song about the terror of forgetting and the desperate, beautiful things we do to keep our memories from slipping through our fingers.

Why the Sound Hits Different

The production on this track is gorgeous, but in a “dust motes dancing in a sunbeam” kind of way. It’s minimal, hazy, and feels deeply private.

  • The Vocals: They’re layered in a way that feels like she’s whispering directly to you.

  • The Vibe: It bridges that gap between classic Romantic art and modern indie-pop. It’s grand and dramatic, yet small enough to fit in your headphones on a late-night bus ride.

“It’s a list of commands… a way to delay the inevitable.” — Delaney Bailey

The Verdict

“How To” is the perfect introduction to the world of Concave. It’s a brave way to start an album—not with a high-energy radio hit, but with a quiet, honest confession about aging and anxiety. In a world that’s always moving too fast, Delaney is asking us to slow down, look at our hands, and remember where we are.

Quick Stats for the Fans:

  • Track: “How To”

  • Album: Concave (Out now as of Jan 21, 2026)

  • Best For: Rainy days, deep thinking, and anyone who feels a little too much.