Rising pop musician Carlos Vara returns with his long-awaited second single, “Confident,” which follows up his 2018 breakout, debut single, “Numb.”

“Puff, puff, pass / Puff, puff, pass / Holy shit, I’m smashed / Let’s do it again.” Sigh, okay!  In 2018, up-and-coming pop musician Carlos Vara first caught my eye, rather my ears.  Vara independently released an awesome pop-soul single, “Numb”, which was easily among the crème de la crème of 2018. The talented singer would go on to sign a record deal with Warner Bros. – talk about a come-up! Now, a year after blessing listeners with his ‘numbness,’ Vara releases an utterly confident single, “Confident.”

Carlos keeps things short on “Confident,” which just misses the three-minute mark.  Even though the record lacks length, “Confident” packs a mean punch.  Vocally, Vara impresses, bringing some attitude and fierceness to the table.  What makes this a compelling performance is how he balances that attitude, playfulness, and his vocal prowess overall.  Interestingly, as confident as “Confident” is, Vara also reflects on a lack of confidence in the past, while coming to terms with this newfound confidence. Profanity always adds a bit of edge, so the s-bombs give Vara some feistiness, toughness, and some swagger as well.  In addition to the playful pre-chorus, Carlos brings the s-bomb back on the chorus.

“Going out tonight

I’m catchin’ everybody’s eyes

Like I’m the shit but, it’s a lie

They askin’, ‘how you so confident?’

Higher than my mind

Lifting these shots up to the sky

When I get home I’m gonna cry

They asking, ‘how you so confident?’

Final Thoughts 

Like “Numb” which precedes it, there’s plenty to like about “Confident.” Carlos Vara continues to prove he’s a skilled vocalist, and that he has the personality to deliver a compelling, well-rounded performance. Does “Confident” trump his debut single “Numb?” No, but it showcases his artistic versatility, not to mention his ability to deliver a fun, mid-tempo, ready-for-radio pop hit.

Carlos Vara • Confident [Single] • Warner Bros. • Release: 2.22.19

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.