UMI Somehow Makes Going Back to "High School" Sound Amazing

image

Depending on who you ask, letterman jacket wearing or not, high school was either the best of times or it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens references aside, lo-fi R&B songstress UMI has shared a new single that has us thinking it would not be the worst thing in the world to still be running from cops at a crowded house party.

"High School" sees the Los Angeles by way of Seattle artist reminiscing over infectious, bubbling production. More than just a weird flex on the glory days, UMI paints  an all-too-familiar picture of what it's really like to be in high school. In "High School," the biggest highlights and embarrassments lie not in grandiose expectations typically associated with high school but in going to Denny's after school and having your parents drive you to dates. The nostalgic portrayal is perfectly at home alongside UMI's wistful vocals that hint at lost love, in spite of not evening know what love was at the time.

The breezy new single is accompanied by a music video, which, as any proper representation of high school must depict, primarily takes place at a high school house party. Directed by Eddie Mandell and Not Cade, "High School" takes UMI back to the days of being an awkward underclassman. From UMI singing into her hairbrush and being goaded into talking to her crush, the music video is a pure delight. But it's not the cops breaking up the party before it gets to the good part that rings the truest of "High School." It is its final comical line, "Bruh, we were just in high school."

Watch the video for "High School" below:  

Related Articles

Video Premiere: “Forgiveness Is” by Doe Paoro ft. Conversation with Maiah Manser

Video Premiere: “Forgiveness Is” by Doe Paoro ft. Conversation with Maiah Manser

October 28, 2025 Together, Doe and Maiah explore the threads that tie their worlds: forgiveness, the collapse and rebirth of systems, social media’s strange intimacy, and the ways music continues to serve as a healing modality for both artist and listener.
Author: Ariana Tibi
R&B
Jack Kane's Latest EP Is An ...Obvious... Hit [Q&A]

Jack Kane's Latest EP Is An ...Obvious... Hit [Q&A]

October 27, 2025 His latest EP, Obvious, dolls out a dose of heartache and anxious behaviors that meshes into a menagerie of pop goodness.
Author: DJ Connor
pop
Dev Lemons talks Debut Album SURFACE TENSION, Upcoming Tour, and Artificial Moon Theory [Q+A]

Dev Lemons talks Debut Album SURFACE TENSION, Upcoming Tour, and Artificial Moon Theory [Q+A]

October 25, 2025 Dancing between alternative emo rock and pop, Dev explores heartache, anger, and confidence, all while being loud and unapologetic.
Author: Gia Acosta
pop