Caleb Hearn’s latest release, “How Did You Know?”, is a personal one, written almost in the format of a letter, an intimate conversation. It’s about growing up, asking the advice of the first “grown-ups” we know, our parents. Reaching the age they are in our memory and realizing just how difficult it must have been. We grow up viewing our parents as all knowing people, having the answers to any concern and being able to comfort any grievance, realizing they’re people too is a hard awakening. Especially when you realize you have to be able to function as they did. Caleb sympathizes with his father, wondering simply how he did it, and goes on to describe his own struggles wishing for the advice that’s always been there. “How Did You Know?” is a sentimental piece that offers the comfort an experienced and all knowing adult would.
The song begins with a folksy, whimsical, guitar that offers the perfect track for the storytelling he’s about to begin. He starts by stating the age his father was when he proposed, putting himself in his shoes from the start. His voice is earnest and conversational at the start, but immediately upon asking that first “how did you know” he has no issue switching his tone to one of pure skill and incredible vocal talent. The guitar heard at the beginning follows him, nearly unchanging. But this isn’t a song meant to be covered by audio flourishes, it is completely genuine and extremely based in Hearn’s thoughtful lyricism. Which is why it is ingenious that he leaves off the song on a note of silence, just repeating his same question.
Caleb Hearn was born in a small town in North Carolina, the setting of his first times writing and performing his own songs. “Always Be”, one of these, and particularly “Always Be 2.0” , a version of it dedicated to a friend of Hearn’s who lost his life, touched an audience he found first on TikTok. From this piece and others, he’s now gained over a million followers on the platform, a group that’s followed him to Spotify where nearly all of his songs hold well over ten million streams each. This success has moved the artist to Nashville where he is now based and continues to write heart wrenching, honest pieces based around his personal experiences. “How Did You Know?” is a prime example of this, stream it and follow Caleb Hearn below.
Written By Hailey Schap
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