It’s hard to accept that eventually, most things in your life will be left only as a memory. That you have to let them go at some point and flip that chapter over on to the next. It’s not such a bad thing, seeing all the happiness in your life slowly slip away. Not only does it make space for new memories, but it also allows you to encase them in time as perfectly as one can.
Rupert Lange, known by his artist moniker Rupe, encourages us to look back with joy on those times through his latest single, “growing up is strange”. Written morosely during the end of his college years, the artist put his emotions into music, creating a sense of gratefulness instead of regret and sadness.
Folksy, acoustic, and synthy in all the right places, the track has layers upon layers of dreamy instrumentals. Vocals sound a lot more raw and echoey than what you’d normally hear, adding more to the sentimental motifs of aging and ultimately consigning the past to his memory.
The lyrics tell of our protagonist and narrator, talking about the people he used to spend time with back then. The emotion Lange shows with his soothing voice creates a bittersweet sound that balances the sadness with being thankful.
In the end, it’s up to us to decipher how we choose to look at the past. Either with tears or with a smile, we still have to let it go. But, let this song be a reminder that it being over isn’t all that bad.
Stream “growing up is strange” below.
Hans is an engineering student with a growing dismay for math. As ironic as that sounds, he’s always looking for a break from digesting numbers and symbols by indulging in things he likes instead: music, writing, and video games. This guy is also the type to hog the microphone on karaoke night, so be careful when you’re inviting him for some singing over drinks.
