The album starts out with a song that transports you back to the comfort of home, of that special somebody, of that familiarity. The song is called ‘Beautiful’ and it truly is beautiful with a simple acoustic guitar lead. What really drew us to Duncan Laurence was his ability to bring out raw emotion into his music. Every word he sings, you truly feel he is coming from an honest place and its special.
We got to talk with Duncan about his story and why he titled the album ‘Small Town Boy’ and needless to say, we’ve become big fans. The Dutch singer/songwriter got his start in music at a young age. He was bullied in school and described to us that songwriting and making music gave him “this safe haven” as he puts it where he can be himself. He can make mistakes and do as he pleases and as he puts it, “Those mistakes most of the time turn into beautiful things”.
The album title ‘Small Town Boy’ really does mean what it sounds like. He was a small town boy who made it big in music and now can look back at where he is from. In his song ‘Arcade’ off the album, he sings “small town boy in a big arcade’ and that line explains it all.
He expanded on his reasoning for releasing music in 2020 and we loved how he put it. He said that people really need stories right now, and it’s true, we all need something to hold onto in these uncertain times. Listening to Duncan Laurence’s soothing and sultry vocals and vulnerable lyrics is a perfect way to lose yourself for a few minutes. From the heartbreak ballad ‘Umbrella’, with tears shed, to the more pop/rock forward ‘Love Don’t Hate it’ there is a song for everyone, just depends on what story you want to hear today. I’ve decided to finish up writing this article listening to ‘Figure It Out’ and I highly recommend it. A great song if you need a little lift or are struggling with anything that feels a little too much to handle (I think we can all relate in some way).
As always, thanks for reading/listening and support the artist below!
Photographer Credits: Paul Bellaart
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