Ruel, The Suburbs | Song Review 🎵

Australian pop singer/songwriter Ruel is looking toward the future with his lover on the enjoyable, heartfelt single, “The Suburbs.”

“Icould see us in the suburbs.” Oh, really, Ruel (Ruel Vincent Van Dijk)? By us, it’s not us the listener, but rather, his lover! “The Suburbs” marks the second single from the Australian pop heartthrob’s second studio album, Kicking My Feet (arrives October 17, 2025). Van Dijk penned “The Suburbs” with Chelsea Lena, Fran Hall, and producers M-Phazes (Mark Landon) and Elias Danielson. 

The sound of “The Suburbs” is winning. I love how the guitar is used within the accompaniment. Later, in the centerpiece, the suburb-envisioning chorus, the sounds are bigger. The 1980s cues are prevalent, specifically the synths and the drum programming.  While the musical backdrop is ear-catching, more striking is the performance by Ruel.  His vocals are always on point! Do you remember when he was the kid with that special voice beyond his years? Welp, that hasn’t changed on “The Suburbs.” He wows with his chest voice, while also blessing us with a dash of falsetto.  The melodies he sings are tuneful, with the chorus upping the ante.  The theme is L-O-V-E.  Ruel confesses in the pre-chorus, “I feel at home around you / Look what you’ve done to me, me.” Oh, snap – that boy is head over hills! He confirms this even more in the second verse, where he wants to “Swap the sires for the birds / In our house, it’ll feel like the only place on Earth.” Is it giving schmaltz for a 22-year-old? Maybe, but Ruel seems to be singing from his heart, and the fact that he has experienced love, something not everybody does, speaks volumes. All in all, “The Suburbs” is an enjoyable, heartfelt pop song.