Livingston's "Young" Is a Masterclass in Impactful Pop Songwriting [Premiere]
Photo: Jimmy Fontaine
17-year-old self-taught producer, singer, and songwriter Livingston is making music far beyond his years. Raised in Denton, Texas, where he regularly faced bullying, anxiety, and ensuing self-doubt, Livingston found his place by pouring his uncertainties and dreams into his music. These early songs, created entirely in his own bedroom, led him to penning a deal with Elektra Records and opening the first chapter on this pop star in the making.
Following the release of his Pixar-inspired debut single "Fairytale" and "Home," Livingston returns with "Young," premiering here today. A meditation on the struggles of youth and self-identity, "Young" is an illustration of Livingston's undeniable gift. It is one rooted in transforming deeply personal experiences into cinematic pop orchestrations of universal reach.
Backed by minimal yet swelling production, "Young" is carried largely by Livingston's rich soulful pop timbre and lyrics that feel like they could have been ripped from the very pages of his diary. "And we hide our insecurities cause we don't know who we want to be / 'Cause we're still young," belts the Texas artist on the difficult task of attempting to discover yourself during what is often one's most vulnerable and formative years. Livingston spoke further on his new single, sharing,
"'Young' is about the idealism I had as a child - I always thought that if I could just make people like me, it would solve my problems. That if I had a certain status or some remarkable event that made me different, I would be as good as the kids that didn't understand me. As I got older, I started to find myself and fit in more social circles, I found a passion for music, I started becoming someone my younger self wished he was - but it still didn't make me happy. That's a really important part of growing up. Thinking that you have found the answer, living in it for five minutes and realizing you still have so much more to learn."
In "Young," Livingston delivers both a moving pop song of epic proportions and a roadmap to future success. These are the very first chapters of Livingston's story, and we cannot be happier to be along for the ride.
Livingston's debut EP, Lighthouse, is slated to arrive June 10 via Elektra Records. Until then, you can take your first listen to "Young" below:
