SINGLE REVIEW: NEONshe – NEON

With her sophomore record just on the horizon, NEONshe has been hard at work not only promoting her music, but the ethos behind it all. Her upcoming companion book, ‘The Star Mindset‘, tackles wellbeing and self-actualisation, drawing from her own experiences with mental health and finding purpose through art, activism, and culture. This is embodied wonderfully in her latest single, ‘NEON‘.

The epitome of a ‘poptimist’ anthem, ‘NEON‘ is all about defiance and resilience in the face of others that would tear you down. Whilst NEONshe has been no stranger to introspective songwriting, this feels like the most personal and open she has been to date, drawing specifically from her experiences of bullying in her youth, and her determination not to allow that to dampen her positive and uplifting outlook on life.

It works incredibly well, with a simplistic yet catchy melodies and glittering yet controlled beats enabling the spotlight to shine on the meaning of the track. That’s not to say that the rest of the track is under-developed; the thumping electronic percussion is layered with sparkling chiptune-style synths, evolving with further bright, reverb-soaked synths as the choruses build with a joyful exuberance. Meanwhile, the central vocal hook in the choruses is devilishly catchy, and is guaranteed to be lodged in your head for at least the rest of the day.

Whilst her debut record was an exciting exploration of musical ideas, drawing influence from a wide array of pop influences to produce something perfect as an introductory statement to her world, the music NEONshe has crafted for her latest era illustrates an artist that is truly blossoming into their own identity. ‘NEON’ is not only a pop anthem begging for a place in your summer playlists, but an important track for understanding NEONshe as a person and artist.

For Fans Of: YMCK, Anamanaguchi, I Fight Dragons, Mae Muller, Carly Rae Jepson

Follow the artist on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify // Bandcamp