In the age of the internet, we’re all keeping up with the Kardashian and comparing ourselves to AI Influencers. It’s easy to see the perfect life in someone else, especially when it’s immaculately curated.
“To Be Like Them” takes that sometimes toxic idolization and drive to change and sets it to a mellow, lo-fi harmony. Throughout the piece, fina leans into this hunger, dropping musical hints that lean into the feeling of being stuck in your current life.
From the opening lyrics calling out a desire “to be like them” all the way to start-and-stop harmonic elements, everything is set up to glorify the “other” lifestyle they want. This imaginary “other” pops up in other musical elements, like splitting the lyrics across two tracks with two different timbres.
The greedy desire projects an idealized life on this other. “I want it now; give me the whole thing,” Jack Jobst demands. But “greedy” and “demands” are only half right. The mellow harmony undermines this struggle. fina may be hungry for change, but there’s an implicit understanding that their current situation isn’t dire. Deep down, we know we’ll it’s all a façade. But that doesn’t stop us from desiring it.
Stream “To Be Like Them” below.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
