Gavin Haley doesn’t bother with pleasantries in his latest single “2FU”. Released during Mental Health Awareness Week, the tune delves into Haley’s innermost psyche as he battles his own demons.

The singer is bold, self-aware and unabashed in his approach, and we’re left reeling from his frankness. Haley’s sound in recent years has pointed to him being somewhat of a flirtatious romantic, but here the artist doesn’t hesitate from stripping away those sugary-sweet layers to reveal something much more rugged. Yet he maintains the ability to remain authentic and his brashness comes through the unflinching lyrics. 

Stylistically, it’s a fairly standard modern pop composition, powered by slow but steady chords on the acoustic guitar and Haley’s deep, coarse vocals. His mumble articulation nails down the conversational structure of the tune, wherein the artist informs the listener with the struggles he’s experienced throughout his life. From drugs to mental health episodes, the artist has been through it all, yet he’s mustered up the courage to come clean about those darkest moments. He also touches on how his issues with addiction and mental health have affected his capacity for relationships.

There is a slight rap singalong that follows the chorus each time, and it just demonstrates Haley’s knack for balancing multiple genres at once, something that was well established in his previous number ‘Tati’. It also renders the track relevant and immensely contemporary, as the structure and production mirrors that of the majority of pop features being released nowadays. 

Haley has revealed that the concept of the composition emerged during a particularly harsh year for the young artist. He reportedly didn’t leave his apartment for a whole year unless it was to grab food or go to the studio. “I felt so isolated from everything, but I didn't have the energy to be there for anyone but myself, not even close friends. 2FU is inspired by that time in my life and the feeling of being stuck somewhere.”

Not only are his listeners going to be absolutely moved by the resilience shown by the artist but many are also going to take note of the relevance here. We’re all stuck indoors, and the subject of mental health has once taken the front seat. So it’s a highly timely effort from Haley indeed.

 singer-songwriter 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.