While I get nervous writing a song review about an artist that I “just” published something about, this latest occurrence has opened my eyes to a positive spin on it.
Just over three months ago I published a blog about the song “Legendary” and now the artist E-NAY has released “Unlove You,” which gets my seal of approval as well. But instead of fretting about the calendar, I’m choosing instead to support the fact that an artist is putting out new music with some degree of frequency.
In other words, I’m thinking of an artist that might put out a single but then not release another original song until a year or more later. That’s where I should raise a curious (if not concerned) eyebrow and not over someone who has followed up one release with another “just” three months later.
And the fact that E-NAY has done so successfully again is worth celebrating.
While I sent feedback that said I didn’t necessarily agree with the “channels the soulful energy of Luther Vandross and Michael Bolton” statement (in the track description), it’s also because I felt the vocal had a unique sound all its own! The style, the tempo, the tone – I liked it all.
Here’s what else grabbed me about this track that I felt was worth saluting. While there is mention of an “80s inspired heartbreak ballad,” I did, in fact, feel that I heard a quick second of, say, Backstreet Boys harmonies, something akin to Kenny G, an orchestration not unlike Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” – and yet all these were nicely blended whereby the artist didn’t take too much into one track where it became, “You overdid it.” That’s not easy to do.
The timing of this song is interesting too in that it just came out three weeks ago. A song with lyrics “tell me how do I unlove you” in a season when we’re all supposed to be joyful acknowledges that some people are going through heartbreak despite being surrounded by holiday cheer. Of course, it will still be just as impactful in two months on Valentine’s Day or whenever the anniversary would’ve come up for the listener and his/her ex.
The artist is said to write “lyrics and melodies… entirely from the heart” and “Unlove You” is certainly testimony to that.
E-NAY is also said to be Electro Pop in terms of style and while this track is anything but, the new release speaks to the artist “also exploring diverse genres,” as the Spotify bio says.
If you’re an independent music creator yourself, I hope you’re seeing the formula here, the path. Limiting yourself too much could be like painting yourself into a corner, meaning, now where do you go? By having a focus but leaving enough room in the lane on either side of you, there’s an opportunity to venture out a bit more, without, of course, completely veering off into unknown territory.
At a time of year when countless artists are posting on social media with their Spotify Wrapped numbers for 2025, it’s a reminder that there are data points to let you know if/that your audience is responding or not and then reacting accordingly and planning more accurately for 2026.
If something feels a bit experimental, you’ll never know if it worked if you don’t put it out there and give it a chance for people to respond to (or not).
I was recently advising a client regarding a song they were writing, saying that a guest on my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast had once said that when they get a new song started, they post about it on TikTok to see if people are liking it so far (or not). If so, they can move forward enthusiastically and confidently, but if there’s pushback, then you abandon it (or make major changes). (And by the way – I told the client – it doesn’t have to be TikTok. You can post a short video on, say, Facebook or Instagram.)
The moral of the story is, create. Do what you love, be inspired by what artists like E-NAY are doing, feel confident in what you’re putting out there, and let the reviews come back to give you that virtual pat on the back.
P.S. – A tip of the cap to E-NAY for putting the song title in the neon sign in the background on the artwork for “Unlove You.”
Now a Member of the Recording Academy, I have been helping indie music artists, authors, actors, entrepreneurs, podcasters, filmmakers, small business owners, and more for over twenty years. What challenges are you having in your creator career that I can lend some insight to? Connect with me so you can take advantage of all my experience, so I can help and keep you moving forward.