Review: "Common Denominator" - Geneviève Racette

"Common Denominator," describes a person who plays the victim, but in reality turns out to be the problem. Geneviève Racette paints the behavior of someone like this in a crystal clear manner. Personally, I felt like she hit the nail on the head with her accurate descriptions and personal stories that prompted her to write this piece. One of my favorite lines says, "You're so surprised / Yeah you did nothing to deserve this / You put the blame on her over and over / Baby for what it's worth when I look closer / You're the common denominator." I love this line because it paints exactly what the person who plays victim thinks about those around them. Especially, when people don't automatically cave to them. This isn't strict to romantic relationships either, platonic friendships and even relatives can act this way. Everyone has had an experience like this with another person at some point, which makes the song relatable. Geneviève Racette makes it personal to her experience and that adds more depth for us as the listener. There's a strong line towards the end that drips of emotion from the artist, it says, "I found some photos in your dresser / you were smiling with some old friends / I asked you why I hadn't met them you got angry and then you said / Some bridges just have to be burned."

We're given a song that provides a strong yet vulnerable tone. The artist is making herself vulnerable by sharing her experience, but she wants to do it anyway in order to bring the actions to light. Because of the strong tone it sparks a reflective and sincere mood. We know that the artist means everything that she is saying when it comes to reflecting on behavior of the other party involved in the situation. When it comes to the instrumentation we can easily pick out some of the familiar sounds that pop artists typically use. We hear drums, piano, and even a small amount of bass. Howver, we also get the indie-folk vibe from Geneviève Racette's voice. The vocals bring us a smooth, swinging tang. Indie-folk has a very unique sound and we can clearly get that from the lyrics and vocals provided by the artist. This is not surprising because that seems to be the genre that Geneviève Racette tends to stick around.

Geneviève Racette is a folk-pop musician from Quèbec. She is celebrated most for her vulnerable lyricism, ethereal vocals, and emotional resonance. Since her debut EP in 2014 she's become a rising star, achieving over 4.7 million streams on spotify. Her fourth album "Golden" marked a new chapter for the artist, reaching number three on the Folk Alliance International charts. Her song "The Reasons (I'll Be Alright)" even made a feature in the tv series Heartland. She has performed across Canada and the U.S., gracing stages at Osheaga, Folk Alliance International, AmericanaFest, and Canadian Music Week. When asked about "Common Denominator" she said, "Common Denominator is for anyone who's ever been gaslit, blamed, or manipulated, and then finally saw the truth for what is was. It's about realizing that when someone always has a story where they're the victim, maybe the one common thread is them." If you're looking for an easily relatable song with deep meaning, make sure to check out "Common Denominator" today.

Written By Destiny Vahrenkamp

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