Track Review: Shawn Rushil Matthews // Wanna Be
Hailing from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – that’s in the United States of America to be exact – Shawn Rushil Matthews is an eclectic artist with a lot of attitude. Despite his young age, this talented artist offers highly sophisticated tracks with the innovative merging of genres. For fans of The Wallows, Clairo and Charlie Pluth, Shawn embraces indie-pop, hip-hop, electronica and mainstream pop sounds. The latest addition to his growing discography is the single ‘Wanna Be’.
“‘Wanna Be’ is a romantic song about wanting to be with someone you love… What’s different about this song from my other music is that I have used just vocals, electric guitars, a bass guitar and a live drum kit, unlike my other songs where I use synths and electronic sounds.” – Shawn Rushil Matthews on ‘Wanna Be’
Adopting more simplistic instrumentation as compared to his previous tracks, ‘Wanna Be’ has a smooth guitar-driven single. Using a DIY approach to production, Shawn has a rather “raw” edge to his sound; however, this does not mean it isn’t melodic. ‘Wanna Be’ is quite flowing with a smooth transition between the instrumentation. What I find intriguing is how Shawn has placed prominence on each instrument slotting them carefully into the tune, but not distracting from the cohesiveness of the song itself.
Using a personal narrative to share his experiences of romance, loss, and desire, ‘Wanna Be’ is a relevant and engaging track for listeners of all ages. It is this narrative that makes Shawn stand out from the rest. His spoken word vocals add a Bruno Mars quality to the track enhancing both sincerity and a basic “well, that’s life” attitude. I find it refreshing and can’t wait to see what else Shawn has up his sleeve.