[nextpage title=”INTRO” ]

11 Personal Songs Performed by Male Artists features music courtesy of HRVY, Joji, Kanye West, Olly Alexander, and Shawn Mendes among many others.

Ladies, you are more than welcome to check out this playlist, BUT, all of the songs are performed by male artists. That’s right, this playlist is all men – rappers and singers!  No worries though – this isn’t a bro’d up affair.  On 11 Personal Songs Performed by Male Artists, the men are expressing themselves – opening up to the world.  Some of the personal issues that they reflect on include loss, love, mental health, and relationships. Artists baring their souls include HRVY, Joji, Kanye West, Olly Alexander, and Shawn Mendes.

---

[/nextpage][nextpage title=”1-2″ ]

1. Shawn Mendes, “In My Blood”

Shawn Mendes • Island • 2018

“Help me, it’s like the walls are caving in / Sometimes I feel like giving up / But I just can’t / It isn’t in my blood.” Shawn Mendes masterfully exhibits vulnerability, resolve, and soulfulness on the emotionally-driven, and powerful “In My Blood”. From the start, he exhibits his best attribute – his voice.  On the first verse, Mendes shares his struggles: fears, insecurities, and loneliness.  He casually sings portions of this verse in his lower register, amplifying his vulnerability.  The second verse is shorter, but a more melodic. By the pre-chorus/chorus sections, the full scope of his vocal expressiveness is unleashed. The soulful beastliness of his vocals, plus the ad-libs, arrive in their full, youthful glory on the titular lyric, “It isn’t in my blood.”

---

2. Kanye West, “Yikes”

Ye • GOOD / Def Jam • 2018

“Shit could get menacin’, frightening, find help / Sometimes I scare myself, myself.” “Yikes” addresses Kanye West’s physical and mental state head-on on the hook, which kicks off the second song from Ye. As catchy as the hook is, it’s his rhymes on the verses that deserve the most attention.  On the first verse, he references TMZ and takes a shot at Russell Simmons regarding #MeToo.  On the second, he references his stint in the hospital, Drake/Pusha T, North Korea, Wiz Khalifa, and Martin (!). On the third and final verse, he references his Opioid addiction, citing icons Prince and Michael Jackson, in addition to mentioning Gandhi and Abercrombie.  Safe to say, “Yikes” keeps the bipolar nature of Ye front and center.  What a trip.

---

[/nextpage][nextpage title=”3-5″ ]

3. Father John Misty, “The Palace”

God’s Favorite Customer • Sub Pop • 2018

“Maybe I’ll get a pet / Learn how to take care of somebody else / Maybe I’ll name him Jeff / But I think it might defeat the purpose / Living on housekeeping and room service.” Haunting, piano-driven “The Palace” explores Josh Tillman’s mental health issues as well as marital issues. Whether “The Palace” where Tillman has made his home for a period of time is actually a truly glorious, luxurious hotel is beside the point.  Father John Misty paints it as his ‘safe place’ from the outside world, yet, he remains dysfunctional and lost. At the end, he comes to the realization, “…I think I’m ready to come home / I’m in over my head.”

---

4. Marlon Williams, “Love is a Terrible Thing”

Make Way for Love • Dead Oceans • 2018

“People tell me: ‘Boy, you got lucky!’ / But I feel about as lucky as a snowman in the spring / Mind over matter; heart over heart / Love’s a terrible thing.”  The plight that is love rears its ugly head on the dramatic, emotionally-driven “Love is a Terrible Thing.”  This piano ballad (for the most part) finds New Zealand singer/songwriter Marlon Williams at his best, well, musically. “Love is a Terrible Thing” represents a great harmonic moment for Make Way for Love with its unique chords and progression.  The melody is complex, haunting, and simply breath taking, while his vocals are ‘pitch-perfect’ on this personal gem.

---

5. Rich Brian, “Cold”

Amen • 88rising / EMPIRE • 2018

“Saw a car crash, it remind me of our first date / Then I went back, got massages at that one place / Always brought friends but today I feel like doin’ this shit alone / Callin’ my dad when I wanna hear some wisdom.” 18-year old Indonesian rapper Rich Brian shines on his 2018 debut album, Amen. Among the highlights from Amen is “Cold,” which features a lush, slick backdrop and finds Brian in reflective mode.  Compared to the deadpan title track that precedes it, “Cold” is a ‘bigger statement,’ incorporating more vocal inflection.  He ends with a bang: “People sayin’ that my words are colder than the winter / It’s Brian, not Brita, so I’ll never have a filter.”

---

[/nextpage][nextpage title=”6-8″ ]

6. Charlie Puth, “The Way I Am”

Voicenotes • Atlantic • 2018 

In 2016 during his Nine Track Mind phase, would anyone ever discusse Charlie Puth getting really personal? No.  But, Voicenotes marked a new day for the talented singer, songwriter, and producer. On the album opener,  “The Way I Am”, he plays to his vocal strengths.  The record benefits from quick-paced, rhythmic melodic lines, groovy, yet balanced production, and most of all, a catchy chorus. The chorus isn’t deep lyrically, but it sums up what this song is about – his personality.  He kicks off the first verse singing, “Maybe I’ma get a little anxious / Maybe I’ma get a little shy.”  Later, on the second verse, he parallels, “Maybe I’ma get a little nervous / Maybe I don’t go out anymore.”  On both verses, he addresses his desires for love as well as insecurities and issues.  Authenticity and honesty go a long way for Puth.

---

7. The Weeknd, “Try Me”

My Dear Melancholy, (EP) • Republic • 2018

On “Try Me,” the second track on My Dear Melancholy,  , The Weeknd is clearly experiencing the plight of love. The mood of the record is dark, amplified once by a minor key scheme. The production, similar to his past material, plays a gargantuan role in giving off certain vibes, which is as important as the lyrics themselves.  The first verse truly stands out, making the listener wonder if he’s singing about his ex, Selena Gomez, and her on-and-off-again boyfriend, Justin Bieber. Talk about getting personal and potentially, specific!

“I didn’t know you were down for him finding out / I thought you had some kind of love for your man / Well, I’m not tryna break something up / You’ve been workin’ out, you’ve been steady / But I’m ready to go all the way if you let me / Don’t you tempt me.”

---

8. Years & Years, “Preacher”

Palo Santo • Polydor • 2018 

“But you’re hiding, yeah, you’re hiding / You should come on out.” Frontman Olly Alexander remains personal throughout the course of Palo Santo, the superb sophomore album by synth-pop collective Years & Years.  Among many persona moments is “Preacher,” which stands out thanks to the pronounced nature of its social, sexual, and spiritual themes. Alexander urges his love interest to live his truth as opposed to lying about his sexuality. On the chorus, he sings, “He’s a preacher, but he’s preaching a lie / … I’m a creature with a fever so high/ … And my temptation, you can’t escape it / God, baby, take me tonight.”

---

[/nextpage][nextpage title=”9-11″ ]

9. Mike Shinoda, “Over and Over”

Post Traumatic • Warner Bros. • 2018

On “Over and Over,” Mike Shinoda honestly sings over a moody backdrop, “Sometimes, sometimes you don’t say goodbye once / You say goodbye over and over and over again.” He follows up the chorus with rhymes that try to cope and move from his tragic loss, the tragic suicide of his longtime bandmate and friend, Chester Bennington.  Moving on also encompasses moments of angered, evidenced when he curses. The authenticity, combined with excellent production work truly makes “Over and Over” a gem.

---

10. Joji, “Will He”

In Tongues (Deluxe) • 88rising / EMPIRE • 2018 

“Will your tongue still remember the taste of my lips? / Will your shadow remember the swing of my hips / Will your lover caress you the way that I did?”  “Will He” opens enigmatically. It’s melancholy, indulgent, and heavy.  Despite the weight carried by the sound and vibe, the sound is very beautiful and well-produced.  Joji delivers respectable vocals, singing the moody lyrics with passion and authenticity.  He successfully conveys his feelings and the narrative.  That narrative is ex-girl is with a new boy and it’s not Joji.  A bit indulgent, perhaps, all in all, it’s a great, personal way to commence In Tongues.

---

11. HRVY, “Personal”

Talk to Ya – EP • Virgin • 2017

“This is the part where I’m gonna get hurt / I never listened but I didn’t deserve it / I was young and she was my first love / So they say, that you live and you learn.” Young Harvey Cantwell, better known as HRVY, is special. The teenage British pop musician is potent on the bubbly, enthusiastic record, “Personal.” His tone is impressive, particularly as he ascends to the golden high notes.  From a first listen, “Personal” is catchy and incredibly infectious to the nth degree. Is it personal? Well, to an extent – he’s reflecting on his first love and how this girl has gotten in his head.

“Like yeah, she gon’ mess with your head / Oh yeah, and she’ll flirt with your friends / Oh yeah, make you wish you were dead / Every time she moves on she says / Don’t take it personal (don’t take it personal) / Every time she moves on she says.”

---

Photo Credits: 88rising, Atlantic, Dead Oceans, Def Jam, EMPIRE, GOOD, Island, Polydor, Republic, Sub Pop, Virgin, Warner Bros.

[/nextpage]