21-year-old singer and songwriter Bo Staloch is back with “I Won’t Be There Waiting For You,” a dizzy ride through driving alt-folk and earnest slacker-rock out now on Capitol Records. The new single again shows off the Austin-born, Nashville-based artist’s gripping vocals, affecting poetry, and sonic breadth as he sings about a friendship that’s slipping through his fingers.
“I Won’t Be There Waiting For You” continues Staloch’s fruitful union with producer Andrew Wells (Mavis Staples, Waxahatchee), who plays bass alongside guitarist Colin Croom (Twin Peaks) and drummer Matt McCaughan (Bon Iver), while Staloch also strums and sings. The end result feels lo-fi yet impeccably executed, pairing the sticky melody of the verses with a beautifully breathless chorus. “I lost my mind as you went and left my sight / How could two friends share love and watch it end?” sings Staloch as he looks on as a loved one rides off into the sunset. “How long will I keep living in this lie that / I won’t be there waiting for you.”
The song’s lyrical twist, that Staloch will in fact wait as long as it takes, spills into a heartfelt reprise that turns the back half of the song into one epic bridge and instrumental — a wave of feeling that carries us to the end. That dynamism has been a constant of Staloch’s work of late, including his staggeringly gorgeous last single, “Masks,” which overflows with the young artist’s palpable old-soul energy as he sings of serious heartache.
Next month, Staloch will be bringing his renowned live show to Austin City Limits Music Festival — twice, now that he’s been confirmed to both weekends of his beloved hometown festival (October 2 and 9). As his devoted fans can attest, Staloch has been on a tear recently sharing acoustic, at-home performances of unreleased songs and some choice covers on TikTok — welcome movement after a breakout 2025 that saw him tour with John Vincent III, Houndmouth, and Ashe; open for Zach Bryan at London’s Hyde Park; make his Lollapalooza debut; and launch his first-ever North American headline run, which sold out in major cities.
Bo Staloch Live Dates
Oct 02 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
Oct 09 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival