BoBo – Brand New (2022)
Born in Germany in 1995, singer-songwriter BoBo was the youngest of five children. Why do I mention this? It is because the siblings “walk side to side with him through life” as they dealt with his mother’s mental health problems and father’s leukaemia. At age five, his family became divided as he moved to Sweden with his mother leaving behind his father for treatment. As he grew, he felt frustration and confusion when looking at “the perfection of other families”. I mention all this because his past experiences are what made BoBo the reflective, insightful and strong person we see today.
So, now to his music. When facing the turmoil of his past, BoBo turned to music as a catharsis. Eventually graduating with a Bachelors in Popular Music from BIMM London and a Masters degree from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, BoBo found himself with the skills and knowledge to pursue a musical career. In 2020 he released his debut single ‘Din vän’, but we’re looking (or rather listening) to his latest release – Brand New.
Featured on international press like Pop Muzik, Buzz Music, The Lowdown and various playlists, BoBo is turning heads across the globe. While his previous material is critically acclaimed, the six-track Brand New shows an evolution in BoBo’s sound. Firstly, this material moves from Swedish-only music to English pop sounds. Furthermore, the EP is a collision of contemporary pop, funk, soul, indie-pop and a tinge of hip hop sprinkled on the top. I would compare BoBo to Justin Bieber or Charlie Puth, but he seems to have an edginess that the other artists do not.
Touching on angst, anxiety, tension, inner turmoil, and reflective self-discovery, Brand New is an exploration of relationships. From the title track to the final track ‘Better Now’, BoBo takes you on a journey elegantly capturing each emotion in the musical arrangements. Opening with soft, soothing and heartfelt pop ballads, there is a gentleness in the journey; however, a blast of hard-hitting hip hop slaps you in the face with the aggressive ‘Double King’. From there, BoBo takes us down on a pop-inspired song and ends with the empowering ‘Better Now’.
A toe-tapping, insightful and intriguing EP, BoBo takes us from heartfelt hazy ambiences to angsty attitudes, then a hopeful and empowering message. Elegantly exploring human fragility with his vulnerable, poetic music, the Sweden-based artist is a shining gem in the pool of sonic pebbles.
For more from BoBo check out his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
