JP Saxe’s new song ‘If The World Was Ending’ can best be described as a beautiful, gentle poem set to music; with acute, passionate lyrics and a natural connection established between the two singers as they take the mic successively, the song explores the regret and pain that arise amidst uncontrollable situations.

Powerhouse songstress Julia Michaels lends her raw, powerful vocals to the song yet keeps it understated, holding onto a soft tone that renders the track touching yet dynamic. Their back-and-forth displays a sweet, enviable partnership that fans perhaps did not even realize could shine so bright. 

Saxe has revealed that the song was written in the wake of an earthquake, and the lyrics confirm this multiple times as the two lovers in question contemplate upon the silver lining of natural disasters. The lyrics emerge out of a space of specificity, with which Michaels has had much success with in the past, having made a name for her songwriting ability for artists as renowned as Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and Fifth Harmony. She has a way of being able to dig deeper into those painful, abstract passions and articulate them into sharp, penetrating words, which is why this song echoes the structure of that of a poem and proves to be an immediate impact to the ears as well as the soul. In a time when everyone is suffering from a little bit climate-change anxiety, Toronto-based JP Saxe seeks to remind people that we have to value our loved ones even more so than before. 

“The song is about that special person in your life that for whatever reason you just can’t seem to make it work with,” says Michaels. “If the world is ending, and there was nothing left to hold you back, would you make your way back to them for one last night?” Lifted by steady piano chords that impart an element of vulnerability and nostalgia into this track, the song explores the tale of two lovers reminiscing about a year-old tryst and how those sensual, affectionate feelings gush forth amidst the panic and fears of an impending natural disaster. As long as art like this thrives, so will the world. 

 Singer-songwriter