Review: "Just Anyone" - Etham
- Hanna Hathaway
- 57 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Intentional repetition of rhyme in the first five lines of “Just Anyone” entrances the listener with a foggy, warm, raw account exploring the intimacy of absence. A synth exclamation of “my love” balances a cold conversation between Etham and the one who abandoned him “in the dark,” holding “all the cards,” leaving him perplexed. Etham struggles to find meaning in “goodbye” as he mourns in a murky loneliness, contrasted by the stubborn nature of those who push people away. The connection between Etham’s question “how’s your heart going to belong to anyone,” and his assertion “to me you’re not just anyone,” creates a liaison between two different versions of “anyone”. This play on words is intuitive and precise as it secures curiosity from the listener in terms of the connection between the two. Carefully crafted, the lyricism in “Just Anyone” discloses heartbreak in a way that facilitates feeling, and invites immersion into emotion.
The consistency of the sound in Etham’s piece communicates a river of persistent emotion that festers in solitude and advertises a severe lack of an effective cure. Structuring echoes of longing around questions of logic in an emotional song challenges the norms of heartbroken lyricism. Including a slightly hopeful piano cadence compliments the melancholy, personal lyrics that catalyze authentic interaction with listeners. Refreshingly, instrumental isolation of the chorus paired with frustrated vocals nails an ever-passionate delivery that begs for closure. Finally, light variations in chord progression, assisting instrumentals, and vocalization align with the inconsistencies of grief, softened by the smoldering remains of a one sided love.
Etham is a British singer/songwriter that has worked with Sabrina Claudio, touring London and Korea. He started sharing his music during talent shows, open mics, and most notably, YouTube. Etham’s first album, “Better Now”, was released in October of 2018, and he now has over 700K million monthly listeners on Spotify. “Just Anyone” is his latest release, and may be the most vulnerable of his pieces, citing conversations and heartbreak in the lyrics. His most popular release, and single, “12:45 - Stripped”, has an astounding 87 million streams. He credits his tasteful music preferences to his mother, and is grateful for those who have supported him throughout his life. When asked what inspires him, he concludes that experiences and great chords are the most valuable components when writing a song.
Written By Hanna Hathaway
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