Ten minute tea with Afternoon Tea. Spend ten minutes with Afternoon Tea. In the time it takes to boil one kettle, and let one cup of tea steep, we will have your daily art + music fix covered. Take your afternoon break with our Afternoon Tea curators. Need an extra lump of sugar? One more sip? If you have five minutes more (or ten), we have one more hit.
Today’s tea + soundtrack + visuals curated by Hillary Reynolds.
Singer-songwriter Hillary Reynolds invites listeners into a whimsical and warmly contemplative sonic world with her latest single, “Can’t Turn Off My Mind.” This silvery, playful track marks the foundation of Reynolds‘ upcoming debut album, Changing Seasons (out later this year), offering a grounded yet daydreamy soundtrack for your morning routine. Blending thoughtful lyricism with classic singer-songwriter stylings, the single evokes a soft space reminiscent of Beatrix Potter illustrations and Jane Austen musings.
“Can’t Turn Off My Mind” was originally written years ago, but found new life after Reynolds reconnected with collaborator and dear friend Madison Malone in Los Angeles. What began as a reflection on insomnia and intrusive thoughts gained richer meaning over time – particularly as both artists became mothers. That distinct sense of sleep-deprived tenderness now permeates the song’s groove-driven chorus, which Reynolds describes as “quirky, left-of-center, but completely natural when you feel it.”
Anchored by upright bass and dreamlike phrasing, the song balances whimsy with lyrical vulnerability. “I love how playful it is,” Reynolds shares. “Sometimes we just need music that makes us feel less heavy. I wanted to put out an album that feels like saying ‘hello’ to an old friend and I feel like this first single is an invitation to that space.”
Stream + share “Can’t Turn Off My Mind” now:
Originally from Appleton, Wisconsin, Hillary Reynolds has been writing and performing songs for over a decade, with work featured in Yellowstone, Loudermilk, and recorded by artists like Little Big Town (“Next to You”). Now based in Los Angeles, Reynolds curates and hosts house concerts called Parachute and collaborates with creatives on charitable initiatives like The Trina Fund, named after her late mother.
one cup of well-steeped Jasmine green tea
Extra lump: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27: III. Adagio. Sergei Rachmaninoff, Philadelphia Orchestra Recording.
I love listening to classical music in the morning. Sometimes my toddler sleeps in until 7:30 am, and then there’s the occasional 5 am wakeup. There’s something magical and soothing about this piece as morning light fills my kitchen and there’s something about the colors and textures of Rachmaninoff that soothes my toddler. It makes the early wakeups a little more bearable and provides a sweet narration for a cup of tea. This symphony has big emotional, sweeping moments that are built steadily from quiet, intimate themes and melodies. You don’t have to be an academic to appreciate how it makes you feel – I really do believe there’s a little something for everyone to appreciate in this symphony. The OG sound bath.
Poetry: Tributary by Katherine Biskupic
I resonate with many layers of this poem. The author is a fellow Wisconsinite and we both share a deep connection with The Oconto river. We both feel drawn to its magic even though we have both found our way to the west coast. I find her words both incredibly grounding and liberating. I can always tap into a melancholy feeling wherever I am that longs for the simple days of being a kid, seeing my grandparents almost every day and swimming all summer long. I hear a familiar champion’s voice that I’ve been missing when I read this poem. There’s a little window in my mind that gets cracked open enough to hear my grandpa’s low, gentle voice say “Go get em’ tiger.” Sometimes we have to acknowledge the overwhelm of where we are in order to keep going in the direction of our dreams. “Keep paddling… Keep Floating” Tributary is a treat. Enjoy it with your tea 🙂
Tea + Me 