Buckle up!
It’s time to give you a rundown on all things e-kid lifestyle and music. This week, we’re exploring some up-and-coming releases from the soft alternative persuasion and having a little chat about the recent trend of hyperpop in the scene.
Conan Gray announces new song to be released on Friday
The viral sensation and singer of hits like “Heather” and “Maniac” has announced on social media that fans can expect a new song on Friday. As a part of this announcement, Conan has teased the new song, which is titled “Overdrive” with clips of the music and videos that transport fans into a blurry, overwhelmed state.
Conan Gray is known for his ability to tap into Gen Z culture, expressing love stories and songs about inner turmoil alike. His music tends to explore themes of self-comparison, worthiness, and hyper-fixation. Many fans cite the aesthetics in the mingling between music and visual appeal as a reason he has gained so much traction while others believe his success rests in his ability to deeply and meaningfully connect with a much-underrepresented alternative base. As Conan comes into the limelight, he has managed to keep the charm of an edge to his music while also partnering with notable mainstream artists such as Lauv.
“Overdrive” is coming with much anticipation.
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Alexander 23’s sophomore EP to drop on Friday
Everyone’s favorite heartbreak king is back with more tunes.
Alexander 23‘s second EP contains 9 tracks that are full of sensuality and a striking authenticity, reflecting a real modern era of heartbreak and heart healing. Oh No, Not Again! features raw and true emotion that anyone feeling the heavyweight of 21st-century dating is almost too familiar with.
It’s no surprise that we can expect this sort of transparency from Alexander 23 when he has supported similar artists like Alec Benjamin, mxmtoon, and Chelsea Cutler on tour. What sets Alexander 23 apart though is his clean-cut vocals that are ever so slightly twinged with obvious broken, tired chords. Like many other artists in this genre, his lyrics are an explosion of poetic beauty, but what Alexander excels in is finding a balance in those words to where they are entrancing, but not distant from others’ experiences.
You may recognize his single “IDK You Yet” from the trending list on TikTok, where fans immediately developed an attachment to the tune. Every subsequent song on the EP shares a similar melancholy and reminiscent feeling and only goes to develop him as an artist. Fans are sure to love these new songs and feel comfortable being transported back into Alexander 23’s heart and mind.
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Wallows releases new single “Quarterback” and promises Remote (Deluxe) coming Friday
So, you didn’t think it could get better than “Are You Bored Yet?”, huh?
It just did. Wallows has released their new single “Quarterback”, promising the music video at 9pm EST tonight.
If you’re not familiar with Wallows, then imagine the feeling and aesthetic that the movie Perks of Being a Wallflower was trying to capture and put it into music… that’s the tunes that Wallows has blessed us with. There’s a feeling of surrealism and an ambiance of classic soft-rock music but energized with today’s feeling of escape. Wallows it the child of The Smiths and The Velvet Underground, reinvented for this generation of lovers and adventurers.
In “Quarterback”, Wallows proves that they aren’t just a one-hit-wonder and their upcoming album may just set the tone for the rest of their career. The song gives us an upbeat rhythm mixed with groovy and soft energy. If this is what fans can expect from the full release of the album tomorrow, then it’s clear that the band will be making a quick return to the charts and likely another run of virality on TikTok.
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Hyperpop hit “SugarCrash!” surpasses 12 million streams on Spotify
Alt kids really found hyperpop and ran with it, this time blowing up a 16-year-old artist by the name of ElyOtto.
After gaining more traction last summer, hyperpop quickly filled the ears of many e-kids, especially with music by the likes of 100gecs. Now, TikTok has created a trend around the song “SugarCrash!” and trended it faster and quicker than seems possible. The most startling part of this trend is that the song is from an independent, young artist with no major backing. ElyOtto has less than 2,000 followers on Instagram. His base, and rightfully so, is almost entirely on TikTok, where he has 90k followers and receives thousands of views on his videos.
Hyperpop has become a clear backbone of the emerging online alt community, likely due to its combination of shockingly emotional lyrics and electronic sound mimicking the rise of the Internet era that Gen Z has been raised in. This genre may seem reminiscent of the bubblegum pop of the early 2000’s, but when you peel away the over-production and listen to the lyrics, you can hear stories of pain, mental health, and more.
The juxtaposition of “childish” and nostalgic sounds of the early 2000s mixed with the harsh reality in the lyrics appeals to pretty much any Gen Z alt kid. “SugarCrash!” and ElyOtto capture that avoidance of mainstream perfectly.
Lil Huddy surprises fans with new song and music video for Valentine’s Day
After absolute success with his first single, “21st Century Vampire“, Lil Huddy is back with his next banger. “The Eulogy of You and Me” is a fun, upbeat track that almost seems to act as a possible gateway to the alternative music world.
The track is reminiscent of some of 5 Seconds of Summer‘s original discography such as “Disconnected” and “Heartache on the Big Screen“. While this sort of music isn’t traditionally considered punk, especially as it fits almost too easily into the mainstream, it does come with obvious heavy influences from icons like The Killers and Green Day.
Like its predecessor, “The Eulogy of You and Me” feels so out of place in 2021 that it surprisingly fits right in. As fashion trends seem to continue to trend toward the early 2000’s, it’s no surprise that our music taste seems to be shifting back in that direction as well. Lil Huddy’s song is the sort of love song that Avril Lavigne would have provided to us if this was 2006.
In fact, if we were in the Warped Tour days, I’d say Lil Huddy has a good chance of ending up on a stretch of that tour with the likes of YUNGBLUD and Waterparks. This new song and video have proven Lil Huddy’s commitment to the craft and his desire to find this niche in alternative anthems.
That’s a wrap! Come back next Thursday for more top e-girl moments.
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