Jewelia – Second Best

“Beckenham pop star Jewelia,” as Abbie McCarthy introduced her on BBCIntroducing a few weeks ago explores a new facet of pop with each release, from art pop with psychedelic undertones to bedroom pop to disco pop – and now, pop rock.

Leaning on a 90s aesthetic, with nods to classics such as Natalie Imbruglia’s‘Torn’, Jewelia’s latest offering ‘Second Best’ undertakes a rapid journey from sparse acoustic ballad to engaging electric guitars and anthemic chants, withJewelia’s butter-soft vocals delivering too-close-to-home lyrics of self-deprecation in a heartbreakingly light tone.

The accessible, catchy melodies can’t distract from the unusual topic of the song: feeling mediocre. ‘Second Best’ is about feeling inadequate in a society that celebrates the one-in-a-million ‘American Dream’ stories of going from rags to riches, while collectively pitying the masses living average lives.

Coming to terms with the fact that you are average is not a topic that is covered much in pop culture. If that sounds like a depressing subject to you, ask yourself why. It shouldn’t be – most of us are just like that. From a young age, we watch stories of success against all odds and are besotted with the chosen one, while getting accustomed to looking down on the average people and their struggles – the irony being, of course, that we are them. We are told that we can achieve anything, if only we try hard enough. As inspiring as this sounds, it also implies that we only have ourselves to blame (regardless of systemic disadvantages, biological limits, financial difficulty, etc.) for having an average life, in a world where mediocrity is viewed as being worse than utter failure. Something is messed up here, and I thought it was worth exploring.

With over a million views on her YouTube channel, Jewelia directs and creates her own music videos in collaboration with her partner. The music video for Second Best’, showing her (unsuccessfully) trying different sports, is no exception. “Second Best” is part of upcoming album “Strong in My Own Way” which is due to be released in spring next year. It is also Jewelia’s first single to be released in the up and coming Dolby Atmos spatial audio format.

London-based singer-songwriter and producer Jewelia creates her own flavour of pop, centered around her recognizable vocals, lyrical charisma, and memorable melodies. She started getting traction in 2020, through herProject2020, where she wrote and shared with her followers a song on the 20th of every month. Jewelia’s self-produced music has garnered a warm welcome from listeners, with over 1.2 million views on her YouTube channel and a consistent over 20 000 monthly listeners over the last couple of years. She has received airplay from BBC Introducing, BBC Upload, and over20 other regional UK radio stations, with placements in the Chill Pop, Hits andNew Music Friday Romania Spotify editorial playlists, and the RISING: Pop chart on Tidal.

Listen to this song and more emerging artists just like this one on “Discover”, playing Sundays at 10 am PT/1 pm ET on Channel R – Today’s Hits & Your All-Time Favorites.