On the first listen, my direct observation was that the music pairs with Redwood’s voice nicely., it's almost as if the music and his voice were made to be together. I would categorize it as dance music that is easy to sing along and relate to. Redwood sings "I fight with the devil on my shoulder". Oh man, don’t we all. What I find most interesting about this musical endeavor is that Redwood doesn’t mention an angel on his shoulder. Perhaps it’s to be found in the context clues since Redwood mentions “fighting” with the devil on his shoulder, thereby not listening to it and going against what it wants. Ah, one of the many trials and tribulations of this thing we call life, deciding whether or not to listen to the devils on our shoulders.
In a description of the song, it is explained that “"Devil On My Shoulder" by George Redwood is a heartfelt exploration of the inner battles we face with mental health. Set against a backdrop of soulful melodies and raw, honest lyrics, this track delves into the struggle of dealing with anxiety and the feeling of loneliness. Redwood's emotive vocals and poignant storytelling capture the essence of fighting personal demons, making it a powerful anthem for anyone who has experienced similar struggles.” This description helps to answer the question of why an angel on the shoulder isn’t mentioned, it’s not necessarily a do I choose this or that instance, it’s a feeling or emotion I’m fighting against. Redwood is describing a fight to hold onto the angelic side of life – joy, success, triumph. However, experiencing the bad makes the good all the better. This song is most certainly an anthem with its bop-infused melody. It’s a lighthearted way of embracing all that life has to offer, even the not-so-fun aspects such as anxiety and loneliness. “And I don’t know what I’m feeling”. I think that line is important to discuss. A feeling that is, possibly, worse than anxiety or loneliness is when you simply can’t put a name to what you’re feeling, when words fail and your soul is in turmoil. And, furthermore, if people are to inquire about what is wrong, you don’t have anything to tell them because you can’t even pinpoint what troubles you. But, with this song, you can be confused, sad, lonely, anxious, and still dancing. I actually seriously love this spin on things, it helps you not take life too seriously and to not sulk in your feelings. This too shall pass, so to speak. “Put one foot in front of the other just to see what I discover”. So after you pull yourself out of this undetermined feeling, now you can carry on with life and see what else it has to offer. It could be better. It could be worse. However, we must march on. Ah, what a treat life is.
George Redwood is an English singer/songwriter from Sussex, United Kingdom. Redwood’s music is described as “dance pop”, “DEVIL ON MY SHOULDER” is definite evidence of that. George’s upcoming album ‘Better Than Nothing’ is expected this October and will feature “DEVIL ON MY SHOULDER”. Redwood’s social media presence currently boasts 2500 followers on Facebook, 1,211 followers on Instagram, 15,892 monthly listeners on Spotify, 835 followers on Tik Tok, and 567 subscribers on YouTube. I’ll be dancing along to Redwood’s music while we wait for the surefire bop of an album “Better Than Nothing” to release. If you want to join me, follow Redwood on all of his socials below and don’t forget to dance!!
Written By Keiunna Thompson
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