Jacob Sartorius, Hit or Miss | Track Review 🎵

13-Year Old Musical.ly sensation Jacob Sartorius releases a follow-up single to the much maligned “Sweatshirt,” “Hit or Miss.” Sartorius sings & raps. 

Once upon a time, there was some kid creating quite a stir online. That kid was named Justin Bieber.  He ended up being “kind of a big deal.” For young Justin, it has taken years for him to earn respect for his music.  Even as his album Purpose has invited some of the bros as fans, as a person, there is still plenty of hate for Bieber.  But this isn’t about Bieber, but about a new “love to hate” teen artist, Jacob Sartorius.  Clearly, Sartorius is being patterned after Justin Bieber.  Looking at it objectively, why wouldn’t the Sartorius want to pattern themselves after an artist who’s sold millions? The problem is that there will only ever be one Bieber, and replicating him perfectly will always be imperfect.  After releasing a much parodied single, “Sweatshirt,” the 13-year old returns with “Hit or Miss.” 

Hit or Miss?

Reiterating, Sartorius clearly has his eyes set on being the next Justin Bieber. On “Hit or Miss,” it’s clearly an attempt, not flawless execution. “Hit or Miss” is chocked full of studio effects, namely autotune, which Sartorius’ pipes are drenched in. The song features an assortment of cliché pop gimmicks, including rapping and urban-infused production, clearly meant to make this 5-year old 13-year old kid edgier.

There is depth in Jacob’s voice, but the question is, how much do effects play into that? For some of the song, the messaging is uplifting, considering Sartorius talks about growing up.

“I heard that life gets hard when you’re older
And the fun stuff’s just for kids
But what I realize as I grow up
Is that it’s just a hit or miss”

Ultimately, it’s corny as a four-letter word.  Despite a hallway legit hook about growing up, Sartorius references Casper, Blues Clues, and love (at 13?) on the verses.  Making things even more unbearable is the fact that “Hit or Miss” lasts too long.  Sure, it’s just four minutes, but four minutes of this – too many deficiencies to make it pleasant, respectable production or not.

Final Thoughts

So, is Jacob Sartorius the next big thing? No, at least not in his current state.  “Hit or Miss” is more on the “miss” side of things, but we’ve heard worse here at the Musical Hype. It has too many effects which ultimately “suck the life out of the song.” Sartorius has swagger, but the song still lacks a killer instinct that effects and gimmicks can’t provide. It’s corny, but this should play well to his audience/fan base – whoever they may be.

Bonus: Reactions

The reactions to “Hit or Miss” have been mixed, as expected. Some have had just enough respect for the kid, but clearly are skeptical.  The general sentiment has been that “Hit or Miss” isn’t nearly as bad as “Sweatshirt” was.  Here are a couple of reactions to “Hit or Miss”/Sartorius  via YouTube.

Jacob Sartorius • The Last Text EP • TM3 Music Group • Release: 1.20.17

Photo Credit: TM3 Music Group