British boyband Blue released a new single, My City. The song is about the memories of growing up in London, UK. There’s also a nostalgic feel.
The music is Pop/ British Pop. Lee Ryan and Paul Visser composed the song with an incredible rhythm and a new musical style. It parallels the Spice Girls’ singles Viva Forever and 2 Become 1. It has a 90s vibe. It also parallels Blue’s early singles, including All Rise, U Make Me Wanna and One Love, and Fly By II (radio edit). It has a mix of familiar rhythms and beats with a touch of new. The gradient tempo is remarkable, nicely complementing the composition and the semi-fast beat. It starts slow, then the beat picks during the chorus and slowly decreases, leading to the next verse into a semi-fast tempo. The musicians in this single are amazing, blending the piano and tambourine at the beginning of the song and then transitioning to drums during the second verse. The clapping in the background by the Blue feels collective, creating a vibe of camaraderie- an unbreakable bond.
The four members of Blue have incredible vocals, evolving with years of experience. Lee Ryan impressively hits the high notes throughout the song with his phenomenal style of a tenor voice. He boldly starts the song with a slow, low voice and then hits those high notes, which he’s well-known for doing. Simon Webbe has a dynamic singing style, blending high and low notes and an impressive baritone voice. He has a fantastic Rap-style solo in the third verse, which reminds me of their first single, All Rise. Antony Costa does a remarkable job with both segues to the chorus and has a superb baritone singing style. Duncan James’ low, husky, bass-style voice is bold and dynamic. Their voices complement each other perfectly, harmonizing their respective vocal styles. They all sing passionately.
The lyrics are deep, humble, and nostalgic. The song talks about pride in one’s city. The words are from the heart. The use of freestyle writing works well with the song’s story. The tune has fantastic poetry and flows naturally. The kaleidoscope metaphor is a bold and dynamic choice, representing the life journey. The repetition of the sentence “This used to be my city” emphasizes remembering one’s roots and origins – an essential reminder about where one came from and where one started. Simon Webbe and Hugh Goldsmith did an incredible job writing the lyrics for Blue’s latest single. The line Simon Webbe sings, “Twenty years ago, the four of us collided,” refers to Blue’s early days in their career. It self-refers on their 20-plus-year musical career, an origin story. The song’s sentimental feeling is relatable and genuine. It also talks about how no matter what adversity one may face, at the end of the day, having friends and family who love you is necessary, demonstrated well in this single.
The single My City is available.
