Rory Wei (10) | STAFF REPORTER
“As it Was” Harry Styles
Harry Styles starts the month of April off on the right foot by breaking the male-artist record for the most Spotify streams globally in a single day; achieved by his release of the single, “As it Was.” Music critics marvel at his transition from 70s soft rock and ballads to 80s synthpop. Listeners are hooked right from the beginning with its catchy percussion, a modern twist on classic pop music, and his tranquil, earworm vocals. However upbeat and pleasing the instrumental may be, Styles’ lyrical artistry is quite a puzzling, sombre one. Some of the hit single’s lyrics allude to his past relationships, such as with Olivia Wilde. His lyrics are used as a method of personal storytelling, demonstrating his yearning for freedom.
“About Damn Time” Lizzo
If Styles’ intentions were fairly obscure, then Lizzo is all on board for open-ended interpretations of her latest song “About Damn Time”. She, says so on Zack Lowe’s New Music Daily show,
“’About Damn Time’ can lead to so many conversations. It’s about damn time I feel better, it’s about damn time we get out of this pandemic. It’s about damn time we get the first black female Supreme Court Justice. There are so many things. It’s about damn time we popped the champagne. It’s about damn time the tequila got here.”
With this song, Lizzo hopes to help listeners target and reflect on their sources and reserves of pent-up anxiety. While she is infamous for her confidence-boosting, enthusiastic songs, she wants to acknowledge her depression and anxiety disorders too, assuring that having worldly concerns are okay and showing herself to be a staunch supporter of the “Sexy & Stressed” Group.
“It’s Almost Dry” Pusha T
Following Pusha T’s 2018 the putative apex of his musical career, “Daytana”, he raises the bar up higher with his highly-anticipated fourth studio album “It’s Almost Dry”. The Virginia Rapper collaborated with Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) and Pharell Williams to dish out 12 rap tracks on the album. Coupling the former’s soulful and the latter’s funk, hip-hop sounds, it beautifully creates a melodic, consistent sound. Pusha T’s lyricism and talent cannot be overlooked either and he is here to make one statement clear in his songs: he is not departing the music industry anytime soon.
