Taking all the best parts of modern pop music and the rising force of pop punk, Beren Olivia creates the anthem of the year with her newest single, ‘So Emotional’.

The verse starts with a beautifully bright acoustic guitar, alongside other rhythmic flavors to make the song move without the help of drums. As soon as the drums kick in, however, Beren, too, makes her vocal entrance. She navigates the melodies very elegantly, both paying attention to the chords giving context to the melody, but also being very careful to accent the drums as well as possible. The verses switch from that acoustic feel from the intro to a brief electronic, overdriven ending, foreshadowing what’s to come. The bridge introduces those elements much stronger, but not as strong as the anthem-fueled chorus. Beren Olivia reaches higher in her range, layered with many harmonies that bring many more emotions to the already-catchy melody of the section. This is where the pop punk elements shine the brightest, with loud acoustic drums punching a downbeat groove, electric guitars glaring powerful chords. The second verse is very similar to the first, albeit abridged, ignoring the more overdriven alterations in exchange to get to the chorus much quicker. The bridge is very punk, being mostly instrumental allowing the masterfully produced instrumentation shine here, before transitioning to the pre-chorus, going into the chorus a Capella. The chorus is repeated, with both musical alterations and extra harmonies to bring the song to a climactic end.

‘So Emotional’ is expertly produced and executed. It embodies the essence of so many genres perfectly without sounding tacky. The melodies are especially strong, as well as the vocal performance delivering them. All the instruments are crystal clear, more so than almost any pop punk acts out there. Beren Olivia did well with this single, giving the world an excellent addition to the pop punk stratosphere.

Since the songs release on Friday ‘So Emotional’ has been well-received, with spins on Radio 1’s Best New Pop, Radio 1’s Future Artists, and Jack Saunders also made the track his Next Wave.

Beren Olivia has also recently been announced to play the Victorious Festival, where she is billed alongside some of her biggest inspirations including Sam Fender and Anne Marie.

Author: Nicholas Gaudet

Music producer and writer from Dieppe, Canada.