Track of the Day: Carson Ferris – 1999 (2023)
In the days of landlines, pagers and dial-up internet. When Buffy was slaying vampires, the Spice Girls taught us about girl power, and you had to choose between N*Sync or Backstreet Boys (no way you could adore both!). The time of chokers, frosted tips, and halter-necks, the 1990s had so much cringe but was so cool. Carson Ferris takes us back to it with his single ‘1999’.
At only 13 years old, singer-songwriter Carson Ferris was born a decade after we left the 20th century, but his music is a nostalgic drag back to yesteryear. Joining forces with co-writers Paulina Cerrilla, Michael Van Wagoner and Nate Jolley, ‘1999’ is a lyrical jump back almost 25 years. Tackling the sentiments of girl groups and boy bands, Ferris explains that “’1999’ talks about feeling out of place, but when you are feeling like you don’t belong, you can always find someone to understand what you are going through so you can feel a little less alone…”
Produced by Mykyl, mixed by Adam Turley, mastered by Eric Disero, with engineering by Maren Gayle, ‘1999’ is exactly what it says on the tin – a fluttering back to the 90s. With a typically 90s pop style, Ferris’ new single oozes bubblegum joviality with danceable beats, hip-swinging sassiness and the rollercoaster of bouncy optimism with an undercurrent of boy band vulnerability. All in all, it’s a dose of 1999 in an almost three-minute song.
Truthfully, when I hit the play button for ‘1999’, the immediate surge of Backstreet Boys rushed in with the opening beats exploding into a crescendo of old-school pop. I imagined myself dancing about my bedroom, surrounded by Leonardo DiCaprio posters, singing into my hairbrush and loving every moment. The icing on the top of ‘1999’ is not the melody but Ferris’ vocals. Bringing a bit of the 21st century to the tune, a twinge of Justin Bieber flutters in the soulful voice; but the sass is ultimately Britney Spears with some Nick Carter awesomeness.
For more from Carson Ferris, check out his official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
