‘Don’t Need Me’ is the brand new single from Floridian indie artist Stumble Steady and be warned that it has the incredible ability to get your body moving and start the inklings of a smile on your face. It’s so feel-good, but not in an overdone way, it’s an honest kind of positivity that exudes from this alt-pop tune.
Garrett Kealer sets the tone with cheerful acoustic guitar before introducing his conversational vocal style, giving the impression that he’s speaking directly with you the listener. As the song progresses, it becomes apparent that the musician is talking inwardly, slowly becoming more reacquainted with that old sense of self.
Here, Kealer explains the idea behind ‘Don’t Need Me’:
“This song is essentially a conversation with myself, analyzing all of the decisions I’ve made and that I continue to make, and if they’re leading me to somewhere I truly want to be. This becomes overwhelming and causes me to want to leave myself behind for just a little while.”
Intermittently, the gentle timbre of Kealer’s voice changes over to a more persistent one in which those repeated thoughts come pouring forth. “Gotta be strong” is one such affirmation, not so much helpful, rather a punishing note-to-self, because of some warped belief that you’re not quite strong enough yet. Like we said before, ‘Don’t Need Me’ is all about vulnerability and authenticity, which Stumble Steady carries off with indie-pop flair. By the end of this track, we feel ready to take on the world.
Listen to ‘Don’t Need Me’ in our excellent Shades Of Pop playlist.
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