Written By Hero Magnus
“Don’t know if you hear this / but I’m love drunk and I’ve got your number memorized,” sings Relli on his latest track. Relli is a solo singer with a boy-band attitude, and he’s ready to bare his (mortal) soul. We are so excited to premiere “Confess” right here on Elicit Magazine.
In classic NSYNC or One Direction style, the song is a direct letter to the person he loves, laying all of his feelings out on the table. “Remember when we used to take your parent’s car and ride around all afternoon / ‘cause we had nothing better to do,” Relli rolls out in the second verse, launching right into the nostalgia. “Singing every song on the radio / and I said I’d write one for you / didn’t know it’d be about losing you too soon,” he continues, hitting us with the one-two punch of relationship memories and relationship regrets.
In 2018, Relli released Time, his first EP, establishing his signature style. This EP was the musical equivalent of a young adult novel: the songs are plaintive and kind, with candy-coated hooks. His upcoming EP is also planned to be chock-full of emotional lyrics and good vibes.
“Confess” is a tighter, poppier effort than his previous work. His lyrics beg for someone to sing along to them during a night of karaoke. “Gotta confess that I still taste you when I kiss her,” Relli sings, irresistibly, in the chorus. It’s rare to find someone who can perform a song that seems so genuine in its immediacy; this song is written in a particular moment of a new relationship, one that is not replicable. He’ll move on, or he’ll go back to his ex, but he might not feel this exact way ever again.
In the pre-choruses, there’s a subtle layer of harmonies, not even completely perceptible to the ear. It’s very well done, and makes him sound a touch robotic. Hollow, bright synths ring out in the background, while perky snaps chug along in the front.
Often in songs like “Confess,” producers and artists might choose either to include a really heavy wall of sound, or to go completely sparse with only bursts of electric guitar or synth. Both of these musical moves amp up the drama. But the sonic tonality in this song is perfectly pleasant, a mixture of melodic synths and piano. It balances the lyrical intensity and lends some 2000’s-happy-pop energy.
Relli bears a shocking vocal resemblance to a young Shawn Mendes. He has the same innocent outlook, and the same angsty heartbreak lyrics. “Confess” is also thematically similar to the wonderful “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars, which details Mars’ realization that he lost his girl because he didn’t treat her right. Instead of writing from a point of regretful, apologetic hindsight, Relli is still holding out hope that it’ll all work out and isn’t shy about sharing how he feels.
Listen to the official premiere of Relli’s “Confess” below!
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