← Index · pp. 6–7
p. 6 — Pre-Pro
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Midnight Church Aftermath — Pre-Production Sheet
Walking Contradiction
Key E Minor
BPM 65
Artist Kris Bradley
Co-written with Blue Foley, Payton Taylor
Status Demo Approved / Direction Locked
"You're not broken. You're complex."
People have always told Kris they can't keep up with her. She craves novelty but needs routine. Her head pulls one way, her heart another. What felt like inconsistency her whole life turned out to have a name: AuDHD (ADHD and autism spectrum). This song was born from that discovery, and instead of shame, she chose humor. Owning the contradiction, not apologizing for it.
Lazy, playful, and self-aware from the jump. This song doesn't angst over the contradiction, it celebrates it. The verses lay out the tug of war with a wink. The chorus leans into the identity with pride. The bridge goes a little deeper, Jekyll and Hyde, two sides of the same coin, before landing back in the groove. It ends feeling like a shrug and a grin, which is exactly right.
Head vs. heart pulling in opposite directions
Craving novelty and routine at the same time
AuDHD as a pre-diagnosis condition, not a flaw
Owning the contradiction instead of fixing it
I'm every color, not black or white or grey
Humor as the frame, not shame
Second half of Verse 1 — try in session:

I pull you in like a magnet
Disappear like a ghost
Yeah I was built for speed
Until I need to slow my roll
A lotta yes, a little no
One foot in and out the door
Overall Vibe
Lazy, fun, backyard jam. Acoustically driven from top to bottom. Feels like it found itself, not like it was produced.
Bass
Walking upright bass. This is the heartbeat of the song. It should feel like it's strolling.
Guitars
Acoustic, slidey, dominant 7 chords. Loose and characterful. Not tight. Not clean.
Drums
Minimal. Kick and snare with sticks, or even a cajon / box. The percussion instruments carry more weight than the kit. Keep it out of the way.
Percussion
This is where the personality lives. Washboard, shaker, triangle, cowbell, guiro. These should feel more present than the drums. Acoustic, tactile, human.
Demo Status
Demo is on point. Direction is locked. Don't overthink it.
Kris recorded a reference riff she loves for this song. Reference this riff in session and explore where it might live in the arrangement.
Audio file: Walking_contradiction_E7_riff.m4a — also available in the shared Drive folder.
Washboard
Shaker
Triangle
Cowbell
Guiro
Walking Upright Bass
Cajon / Box (opt.)
Percussion elements should feel more heard than the drums. This is a backyard jam, not a studio production. Tactile, acoustic, alive.
Sheryl Crow — All I Wanna Do
Stealers Wheel — Stuck In The Middle
Where they meet: that effortless, slightly offbeat groove. Fun without trying. Personality over polish.
Loose, rootsy, swagger-filled groove with stand-up bass that feels instantly familiar. Witty, syncopated percussion -- triangle, cowbell, washboard, guiro -- for a sly shuffling pulse. Production organic, stripped, human, dry, intimate, unplugged energy guiding the pocket phrasing and emotional tone. Warm acoustic guitars drive the track with relaxed confidence rather than polish. Groove feels slightly greasy, playful, effortlessly cool with back-porch grit and barroom charm. Vocals carry soulful, weathered character with expressive phrasing. Last two lines of the chorus shift into a loose, conversational talk-sung legato delivery that feels poetic, offhand, and iconic. Above all: vibe, feel, and attitude. Follow precisely at 61 BPM.
Verse 1 — "My heart is like an anchor" → North Star — "Anchor my heart"

In Walking Contradiction the anchor is a burden — the heart dragging her down, keeping her from the freedom she craves. In North Star the anchor is a gift — the thing her husband gives her that keeps her from getting lost. Same image, opposite emotional meaning. The journey from one to the other is the whole album.
Full Music Video Concept

Verses: Kris walking down the street cutting between completely contradicting outfits — each one totally authentic to a version of her. LA casual (side braid, black tank, jeans), power boss (business suit), librarian chic (glasses, messy bun, white collared shirt, black pencil skirt), evening gown, leopard print Adidas, cowboy boots. Each outfit switches every few seconds — shot separately, edited together. Intercut with 1 to 3 performance locations of Kris playing guitar and singing.

Choruses: The table flip. Kris dressed in a proper Susie Homemaker dress — elegant, composed, perfect. Sets the table meticulously, candles lit, plates placed. Smirks at the camera. Stands up and flips the table. When the table hits the floor she's standing in her rock-country self — edgy, grounded, the real her. The chorus repeats so the table flip can appear multiple times with variations.

Performance Visual — Quirky Instruments: Kris walking and singing while playing unconventional instruments — washboard with spoons, triangle, cowbell, kazoo. Each one played completely deadpan, fully committed, no winking at the camera. The contrast between the serious delivery and the absurd instruments IS the contradiction. The washboard-with-spoons moment is the strongest Spotify canvas candidate — a short loop of Kris strumming a washboard like it's an acoustic guitar.

Feet Visual — Shoe Contradictions: Dirty Dancing-inspired close-up on feet only. Camera stays locked on Kris's feet as they transition between playful colorful Adidas sneakers, cowboy boots, and flip flops. Each cut syncs to the rhythm. Works as a Spotify canvas loop or standalone social clip — the identity shifts told entirely through footwear.

Reference: JoJo Siwa — Karma — love the concept of playing herself as different characters in different outfits, each one expressing a different side of who she is. Same energy as our verse concept but pushed even further into character. Good reference for how the outfit changes can feel like full identity shifts, not just wardrobe swaps.

Production note: Shoot each outfit in one session — walk the same street or block in each look. Efficient shoot day, maximum visual impact in edit. The Spotify canvas version is the table flip, the washboard-with-spoons, or the feet transitions — all three work as standalone loops.

Confirm drum approach in session: minimal kit vs. full cajon / box replacement
Music video or visualizer direction TBD
p. 7 — Lyrics
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Midnight Church Aftermath — Lyrics
Walking Contradiction
Written by Kris Bradley, Blue Foley & Payton Taylor
© Boomfox Productions
My head is like a boat
My heart is like an anchor
I like a good routine
But you know I can't be tethered
Kinda like a kite string sailin' in the stormy weather

Pull ya like a magnet
Disappear like a ghost
Got a need for speed
But pump the breaks and slow my roll
a lotta yes, a little no
One foot in and out the door
Back and forth, and round I go
And where I stop I never know
I set the table and flip it
Yeah I'm the queen of the pivot
Its just the way that I live it
No I don't need no permission
A Diagnosis Condition
Opposites addiction
Some say it's better than fiction
Guess I love me some friction
I'm a Walking Contradcition
They say it's either or
But say it's both and
No need to set your mind
When you hate making plans
Not black or white or grey
I'm every color yes I am
Back and forth, and round I go
At least I keep you on your toes
I set the table and flip it
Yeah I'm the queen of the pivot
Its just the way that I live it
No I don't need no permission
A Diagnosis Condition
Opposites addiction
Some say it's better than fiction
Guess I love me some friction
I'm a Walking Contradcition
I get it wrong, get it right
I get low, I get high
A little Jekyll and Hyde
Like a coin with two sides