Review by Emily Smith
With his subtle, sensitive pop music, Dallas-based musician Trevor Douglas has had a number of accomplishments so far in his career. He’s been a finalist on American Idol, has opened for the Jonas Brothers at GEXA’s Heineken Lounge, and has entertained the crowd with lively performances at The Dallas International Film Festival and the Texas State Fair all within the last few years. Now Douglas has a new single out titled “Stay By Your Side,” a bright, upbeat song about promising to treat someone with the utmost respect. It’s a song that is unwaveringly optimistic about the future with a girl.
The track begins with an intimate and delicate acoustic guitar followed by Douglas’ sensitive vocals singing, “I see the weight that’s on your shoulders/ Autumn leaves change and we feel older,” which establishes the hurt his love interest has dealt with from her past relationship. From there, the soft beginning effortlessly transitions into a more upbeat and catchy sound. The foot-tapping rhythm grabs the attention of the listener while Douglas’ vocals exude an endearing bubbliness. In lyrics like, “He gave his attention to someone else/ Thought he could leave your heart on a shelf/ (You don’t need that, girl),” Douglas sings about how a girl’s previous man wronged her, and how she didn’t deserve it.
The song was written about a girl I liked who’s previous relationship was with a pretty toxic person. That made hard for her to want to open up again, even though we had feelings for each other,” says Douglas.
The chorus expresses a more hopeful outlook for the future and this budding relationship between him and this girl. Douglas sings, “And I promise you/ That I won’t ever lie/ I’ll be there for you baby/ You and I can touch the sky,” vowing to be different from the man from the previous relationship, and showing enthusiasm over the thought of being with this girl, loving her the way she deserves.
Douglas’ musical influences also show through this chorus. Its playful melody, good-natured lyrics, and overall catchiness take influence from several renowned pop musicians such as Ed Sheeran, Lauv, and Shawn Mendes just to name a few.
The vocals throughout this piece give off a warmth and sincerity that helps set the tone of the song and leaves the listener gravitating towards the track. There is a soulful component of Douglas’ vocals that make his lyrics and declaration of affection seem totally honest.
“…this song was just me telling her I really cared about her and, unlike her last relationship, would do all I could to make her feel safe and loved,” comments Douglas.
“Stay By Your Side” is a sweet, upbeat single that is sure to brighten anyone’s day. Be sure to look out for Trevor Douglas’ upcoming EP Four In The Morning, which will be dropping later this summer.
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