"what if?" is the latest single by alt pop artist, james october. His moody pop sound is reminiscent of artists like Del Water Gap, Ryan Beatty, and Dijon. The song details feelings of love and loss. The track comes as the follow-up to his EP Outgrew released earlier this year in May with Hana Aluna. In "what if?", october expresses the betrayal and frustration that he feels in the midst of heartbreak. Heartbreaking events can cause us to question ourselves and make us hesitant to open up and trust other people that we meet. It's a powerful sentiment that october delivers beautifully in this track. If you have felt heartbreak, loss, or betrayal lately, this song is worth giving a listen.
Over a sad guitar-laden production, october shows off his strength in storytelling lyricism; he spends the first verse recounting moments and emotions with lines like, "I wasn't angry when the Lyft got stuck." He expresses vulnerability in this song with lyrics, "Hate that I still love you so much, "You said she initiated it / But I wish you said you hated it," and "Thought we were closer / Now it's like I never met her." Losing someone that you loved so much that they now feel like a stranger is one of the most painful moments we can go through as people. Here, october wears this pain in his heart on his sleeve. In the chorus, he grapples with the aftermath of losing this girl to someone else and expresses his insecurity with the big question: "What if you’re holding her better / And what if you keep her forever."
james october is an adult contemporary pop singer-songwriter that released his debut single, White Lies, in 2020. In 2021, he released an album in collaboration with Veronica Watts entitled Modern Eclectic. "what if?" shows that he is bold enough to be vulnerable in his work; the lyrics feel like they could be pages ripped out of his diary. It is the first song that I have heard by him, but from the authentic lyricism and gentle vocals, I already cannot wait to see what he shall release next. If you enjoyed this track by james october, make sure to follow the social media links below to keep up with all the latest information on himself and his newest music releases.
Written By SYDNEY GRAY
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