Review: "Jumping the Gun" - Kayla DiVenere

Kayla DiVenere is an authentic, relatable artist that does not take life too seriously and knows when to make fun of herself. In her latest single, “Jumping the Gun,” the artist describes her innate proclivity to go from 0 to 100 in a millisecond. The song was born from the moment she exchanged a few words with a random guy she had never met. After only a two-minute conversation, she could not stop thinking about this interaction. Although he probably thought nothing about it, DiVenere could not help but romanticize it. She continued to talk about him to her friend all night, imagining their “entire relationship before it even existed.” In the song, the hopeless romantic takes the listener through a journey of her thoughts and feelings. The verse kicks off with her immediately thinking about how much cooler he is than her, the hot actress he is probably dating, and the inevitable heartbreak she will go through if they date. Then in the pre-chorus, she breaks this daydream by singing: “My friends say I fall too fast, they’re right// But let me fantasize.” From here, the artist kicks off the chorus with the hook: “Two shots and I’m jumping the gun again.” The singer details her uncanny ability to turn any situation into the perfect rom-com storyline—in her mind. Her friends always warn her and she never listens. She continuously talks herself into these situations and is left disappointed. “Jumping the Gun” is the perfect single-girl anthem, effortlessly describing these unrealistic standards she sets for her love life. With her cheeky lyrics, DiVenere naturally resonates with listeners through her clever storytelling.

“Jumping the Gun” contains an energetic, carefree production that replays in the listener’s mind on a continuous loop. Even the lyric video matches the lighthearted atmosphere perfectly. While the lyrics read at the bottom of the screen, DiVenere is seen in a wedding dress singing along. The simple, yet clever imagery brings to life the idea that she is always “jumping the gun.” She meets a guy, has a quick conversation with him, and immediately starts planning their wedding in her head. She conveys a perfect level of sass and disappointment with her facial expressions and body language, brilliantly representing each lyric in the infectious track. The song instantly captivates the audience’s attention with a soothing guitar riff and muffled vocalizations. After a few measures, DiVenere’s enchanting vocals kick off the first verse. The guitar continues through the verse and is met with the lively drums. While the production maintains a steady flow into the pre-chorus, background vocals provide an extra dynamic to the song as they yell “they’re right” alongside DiVenere’s lead vocals. A brief drumroll signifies the chorus, where the beat increases tempo and enhances the chill alternative pop-rock vibe. Periodically throughout the chorus, muffled reverb vocals are faintly heard that provide a dreamy atmosphere. Then in the last line, the background vocals become more prominent as they boost the hook: “’Cause that’s what I get for jumping the gun.” The song immediately rolls into the second verse, where the beat briefly mutes for the first line, before kicking back up to the production found in the first verse. Then, the full production is picked up in the second chorus and continues into the outro. DiVenere’s sweet voice provides mesmerizing vocalizations that are broken into two parts by the muffled background voice yelling: “’Cause that’s what I get!” The song closes with the final rendition of the hook before the production abruptly ends. With “Jumping the Gun,” DiVenere effortlessly captivates her audience with a flawless alt-pop production and her compelling vocals, highlighting her as one of the industry’s most promising new artists.

Kayla DiVenere is a singer, songwriter, and actress from Montreal, now based in Los Angeles. She kickstarted her acting career at the age of six and has credits in productions such as, Love Victor, Law & Order, and Light as a Feather. Then in 2020, she released her debut single, thus propelling her into her music career. “Jumping the Gun” is her sixth single, with a seventh already set for an October release. The artist has over a million streams across all platforms and over 200,000 followers on social media. Her latest releases have earned her a spot on some of Spotify’s top playlists, such as New Pop Picks, SALT, and All New Rock. She continues to impress industry tastemakers while earning a loyal fanbase. Check out her social media for all upcoming releases!

Written By Karlee Skipper

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