Loneliness is something everyone deals with at one point of their life. Each one of us experience it in a different way. Today’s featured single is a reflection of loneliness and self-acceptance, about isolating oneself in fear of not achieving people’s expectations but ultimately accepting who we are and what we are capable of. “The King of Nothing” is the newest single by Justpeoplewatching, a folk rock band from Edmonton, Canada. It tells the tale of a king who hides away in a castle to hide away from pain. Emotional and surprising, it is a single that must accompany us on lonely days.
Justpeoplewatching started as a solo project by Marc Ferreira (piano, guitar, vocals) that soon grew to include bandmates Kira Dawson (bass, vocals), Rheo Menard “osanakoma” (guitar), Justin “dunna” and Kevin “PekDrums” (drums). Their music style is one inspired by classic folk acts as The Lumineers, Jack Johnson, Of Monsters and Men and Vance Joy and 90’s alternative rock such as Radiohead, The Fray, Coldplay, Paramore and Counting Crows. It is a tender and intimate sound, as we can hear in their previous works such as “Superman”. Their lyrics deal with dealing with growing up and mental health issues. Justpeoplewatching is able to mix nostalgia with the emotional impact of their themes.
“The King of Nothing” musical structure follows closely with its lyrics. As Ferreira sings about this mythical king that decided to hide away, the music appears to enclose us in with its harmony and a lonely guitar, constructing a sense of intimacy with the character: we feel as if we are with him, accompanying him in his loneliness. But then, as we reach the chorus and the character realizes his own psychological limitations, the music seems to open its possibilities, throwing down the walls of the palace. The character begins to accept his feelings of fragility and finally lets himself out of the palace. We reach a musical climax as the beat gains strength and the backing vocals make the king realize that he is not truly ever alone. The soundscape opens, it seems vast endless, full of possibilities.
“The King of Nothing” is an examination of isolation, self-doubt and how to overcome it. Justpeoplewatching has released a touching and thoughtful single, a tale everyone is able to identify with.
If you enjoyed Justpeoplewatching’s music and would like to stay updated, be sure to check out and follow their Facebook and Instagram accounts. To listen to their music, you can head over to their Spotify profile and Youtube channel.
You can also support the artist by streaming and sharing their music, which can be found in the following Playlists: Less Than 1,000 Followers, Fresh Singles, Indie Only, Alterindie State Of Mind, 12 New Songs This Week, and Chill Folk Acoustic.
P.S. If you enjoy discovering new artists and fresh new music you should subscribe to Less Than 1,000 Followers and follow the Playlist with all the artists we’ve talked about!
This coverage was created via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
