Reading Time: 2 min read

4 out of 5 stars

Grace VanderWaal, Just the Beginning ยฉ Columbia13-year old Grace VanderWaal drops โ€œSick of Being Told,โ€ the third teaser track from her debut album, Just the Beginning (November 3).

Truly, Americaโ€™s Got Talent.ย  Grace VanderWaal, a mere kid, proved that, winning the popular television show.ย  The thing is, not only did she win a reality competition, she truly possesses talent โ€“ sheโ€™s got chops.ย  After releasing a debut EP in 2016, Perfectly Imperfect, she arrives in 2017 with her full-length debut album, Just the Beginning. ย In advance of Just the Beginning, she dropped several teaser songs, including teaser track, โ€œSick of Being Told.โ€

Clearly, Grace VanderWaal has a very common disease that infects teen youth โ€“ย  rebelliousness.ย  On the first verse, she desires independence, singing, โ€œโ€ฆLetโ€™s just try it my way / I mean cโ€™mon.โ€ย  She goes on to assert her desire for independence on the pre-chorus, spreading her wings on the chorus.

โ€œIโ€™m sick of being told / Of what I should know / I just wanna let go / I wanna run away just to live my life my wayโ€ฆโ€

While this is teen through and through, adults, even if more mature than VanderWaal, have similar experiences. Hence, this is more relatable to a wider audience than anticipated.ย  The second verse and most of remainder of the song is written in similar fashion.ย  The bridge, of course, differs from the verses and choruses.

Besides the theme and lyrics, the production is solid, backing the teen-pop singer effectively. Vocally, VanderWaal continues impressing beyond her years.ย  Her maturity canโ€™t be overstated โ€“ sheโ€™s only 13.ย  The vocal cracks, nuances, and unique ways she uses her voice are selling points.

Final Thoughts

As asked before on the previous singles, are there any glaring cons? No. โ€œSick of Being Toldโ€ continues to show incredible potential and promise for Grace VanderWaal.ย  Oh, and yes, the ukulele is cool here.

Grace VanderWaal โ€ข Just the Beginning โ€ข Columbia โ€ข Release: 11.3.17ย 
Photo Credit: Columbia
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the musical hype

the musical hype aka Brent Faulkner has earned Bachelor and Masters degrees in music (music Education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and a freelance music journalist. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.

1 Comment

Rebel Mermaid · September 28, 2017 at 11:29 pm

No offense but grace deserves a 5/5. sick of being told was like so amazing. there’s no reason that a whole star should be deducted.

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