Arts, Music, Review

‘10,000 Hours,’ ‘Cry for Me,’ and More in New Singles

“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber

Alongside the release of a misleading futuristic trailer, Grammy Award-winning pop star Justin Bieber took to Twitter Wednesday night to unveil his new collaboration with “Tequila” country singers Dan + Shay. In his initial announcement, newly wed Bieber described the song as “wedding music,” perhaps in hopes of scoring a spot on the quintessential reception playlist. 

To fans’ disappointment, however, “10,000 Hours” is anything but a classic—both sonically and lyrically, the song falls short. The new single employs a confusing jumble of monotone acoustic guitar riffs, painfully autotuned ad-libs, and awkwardly cliché rhetorical questions. Bieber asks listeners, “Do you miss the road that you grew up on?” and “Did you get your middle name from your grandma?” prompting them to ask in return, “But how much money are you making from this collaboration?

Cry for Me” – Camila Cabello

Thursday night, former Fifth Harmony member Camila Cabello released the third single from her upcoming sophomore album, which is due to come out before the end of the year. In “Cry for Me,” Cabello sings to her unaffected ex-lover, shamelessly yearning for him to experience the same post-breakup pain she endures.

Nice to Meet Ya” – Niall Horan

After a near two-year hiatus, Niall Horan dropped the single “Nice to Meet Ya,” a playfully lightheaded song in which Horan boldy expresses his desire to get to know the girl of his one-night stand. “Nice to Meet Ya,” an aberration from Horan’s typical swanky, laidback style (“Slow Hands”), is seemingly the perfect electric guitar-driven backtrack to a Kia Soul car commercial.

Featured Image by Warner Nashville

October 6, 2019