Despite his best, sincerest attempt, YouTuber Joey Graceffa fails to move “Kingdom” from the realm of ‘stereotypical YouTube music,’ to legit mainstream pop.

“I’m lost in the devil’s garden / Lately I’m feeling haunted / Behind me boy look those demons follow.” Social media influencers are among a growing breed of musicians.  For some, this is eye-roll worthy, while for others, they accept and embrace this growing pool of artists.  Joey Graceffa is best known for being one of the biggest YouTube personalities, having been on the platform for years and years.  That said, throughout his career, he’s dabbled in music, so the release of a single (“Kingdom”), let alone an EP (Kingdom, arriving on Valentine’s Day 2019) isn’t far-fetched.  It comes down to, hence, just how viable a pop star Mr. Graceffa is.  Judging by “Kingdom,” it’s definitely a bit questionable.

Obviously, if you’re skeptical of all the merch-plugging and ‘extra’ stuff that YouTubers do to sell their brand, you’re likely turned off before Graceffa sings one note.  That said, once Joey does begin singing, “Kingdom” just never comes off as that ‘majestic’ moment or locked-in.  Sure, Graceffa takes it seriously, (we assume at least), but the vocals simply leave more to be desired.  Personally, that’s what turns me off the most, as they lack the finesse that they should.  The lyrics are schmaltzy – cheesy if you will – but there’s been plenty of cheeseball action in pop, so, not the end of the world…

“The lightning strikes our eyes

In the backseat of his car

In this battle of new secrets

You’re a sword straight through my heart

You are everything that I needed

Bad timing has got me in pieces

And all I know is you’re in my arms

And I’m so wrapped up in this kingdom of ours.”

The production isn’t bad, but nor does it ‘fuel the fire’ because “Kingdom” can’t get past the air of sounding Karaoke or more damning, stereotypically YouTube.  Sure, every YouTuber will be ready to throw up a middle finger at me for that assertion, but it’s always a challenge to be awesome in related fields.  Some musicians manage to make great actors, others not so much.  Some actors make great musicians, others not so much, etc.

Final Thoughts 

Did I come here to tear Joey Graceffa to shreds or somehow thwart his musical aspirations? No. That said, I was curious what a Joey Graceffa single would sound like in 2019, and honestly, it does very little for me personally.  Yes, he deserves credit for embracing his sexuality fearlessly.  Yes, if wants to sing he should feel free to do so regardless of what a music blogger and critic like myself think. But he also has to take the criticism, and simply put, “Kingdom” is not my cup of tea.  The good news is, that there is a music video, which plays more to his theatrical, artistic strengths.

Joey Graceffa • Kingdom (EP) • Joey Graceffa • Release: 2.14.19

Photo Credit: Joey Graceffa