Shorty Don’t Wait

The song Shorty Don’t Wait, lasting 4 minutes and 11 seconds, is part of the first album by the American duo A Great Big World, titled Is There Anybody Out There?. This 2013 release explored a pop territory with a sincerity that, while appealing, sometimes bordered on the simplistic, according to Timothy Monger of AllMusic. The production was described as concise and powerful, though with moments that could have benefited from more subtlety. On the other hand, Jason Lipschutz of Billboard noted that the album maintained the seriousness of its lead single, Say Something, but also included tracks with a peculiar optimism and an agile rhythm.

A Great Big World, composed by Ian Axel and Chad King, originated in New York while both attended New York University. Axel, who had already released an independent album with songs co-written by King, pushed for the collaboration. King, in addition to his musical career, had a role in the film Monster, which won an Academy Award. The duo, which adopted the name A Great Big World in 2002, funded a six-song EP through Kickstarter. Before establishing themselves as a duo, they toured nationally and opened for artists like Ingrid Michaelson and Matthew Morrison. The single This Is The New Year gained notoriety in 2013 when it was performed by the cast of the series Glee and also appeared in various television productions.