Anne-Marie and Doja Cat team up for their laid-back, slice-of-life number ‘To Be Young’. The former has built a reputation out of creating playful, charming tunes that encapsulate what it’s like to be a young millennial in this day and age.

So it’s rather fitting that she comes out with yet another syrupy-sweet exploration of youthfulness and self-love. The inclusion of Doja Cat certainly adds an extra touch of excitement to the proceedings, seeing how she’s taken the world by storm with her ‘Say So’ phenomenon. But it ultimately doesn’t prove to be too memorable as she doesn’t get a moment to show off her spectacular vocal chops and her signature boldness. 

It’s very much Anne-Marie’s game and the British singer-songwriter does infuse her verses with a sense of self-awareness, acceptance, and an occasional touch of regret. The song addresses the behaviour that Anne-Marie and many young women in their twenties exhibit: carelessness, bad decision-making, and living in the here and now. Genre-wise, it’s a textbook pop composition, but its slow rhythm keeps the mood reflective and somewhat sentimental. The first verse is set to the soft chords on a piano while Anne-Marie’s vocals remain as crisp as ever. She’s got a beautifully abrasive and vulnerably voice that’s rarely been deployed for slower ballads. But it’s the perfect vehicle for the tempo and subject matter of the song. 

The melody introduced in the chorus is immediately familiar and endearing; the instrumentation ramps up just the slightest with the beat slamming down with impact following each line. The pitch picks up and Anne-Marie does get to display some of her vocal flexibilities. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Doja Cat’s verse, which is disappointingly similar to Anne-Marie’s portions and is never given the chance to pick up steam. 

But the song itself isn’t about picking up steam. It relies on a low-tempo style that’s more about establishing a mood through punctuated beats and subtle hints of the synth rather than sweeping melodies and extensive vocal riffs. When you’re craving for a semblance of normalcy in the direst of times, it’s fulfilling to step back and feel the ups and downs of your life through a bittersweet harmony. 

 pop       r&b 

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.