London-based artist Bakar has carved a significant place for himself in the six years since his first single, “Big Dreams,” which amassed an initial audience expansion after being featured in the soundtrack for FIFA 19.
After releasing his first full-length project in 2018, Badkid, Bakar found himself in contact with Virgil Abloh, who was the creative director for Louis Vuitton at the time.
The two ended up collaborating on multiple endeavors, with Bakar walking the runway for Abloh’s debut Louis Vuitton show, and Virgil designing DVD cases for Bakar’s 2022 album, Nobody’s Home.
“Hell N Back,” the lead single for his 2019 EP Will You Be My Yellow, became a sleeper hit in the United States, sitting at #1 on the Billboard Triple A chart for 27 weeks. The track also became a popular background audio on TikTok, expanding the breadth of his artistic reach.
Bakar’s rise has sparked opportunities for new and exciting adventures such as his performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and his clothing collaboration with the California-based fashion house Stüssy.
His most recent activity has been in regards to a new full-length project. On September 6, Bakar dropped “I’m Done,” the last track in a three-part series preceding the release of his new album, Halo, expected to come out September 22.
The song is a clear demonstration of Bakar’s musical personality, featuring raw, beautiful vocals over guitar and drum heavy instrumentation inspired by a mix of hip-hop and punk rock. Yet with this mix there is still a softness to it that appears in much of Bakar’s work, making it a song fit for passionate times as well as relaxed enjoyment.
The lyrical structure and theme echoes the artist’s past projects, with youthful lamentations of love and a repetitive hook blessed by his uniquely engaging voice. Bakar’s writing pattern is easily observable in the segment below, taken from the lyrics of “I’m Done.”
“No communication, we should solve that / A thousand conversations should’ve been had / A thousand thoughts are racin’, and I might as well erase them / And I’m done waitin’ for your love to come home / Don’t come home, no / And I’m done waitin’ for your love to come home / Don’t come home.”
Even with straightforward rhyme schemes and repetitive structure, Bakar manages to add depth and make the listener feel through his voice and unique blend of genres. Bakar’s music strongly suits the image of adventurous teenage angst, and is a good listen for those who feel or want to feel young. The genuine fun and involvement he experiences in the act of making music carries through in his songs, acting as a reminder of the pains and joys and fun of living in juvenile romanticism.
You can listen to two of Bakar’s latest singles from the upcoming album, Halo, linked below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFz-v0FEMQM
