“And when we get older / And y’all break up someday / And this is not a secret…” Secrets? Ah, the plight of love is in full effect on “Cupid,” a slick, urban-pop gem from California pop artist Ryan Beatty. The former teen-pop artist, now fully-grown, joins a wave of artists bravely opening up and being honest about their sexuality. Throughout his superb debut album, Boy in Jeans, he takes listeners on an emotional journey, eventually achieving “love and happiness.” But, first there’s a clear conundrum – the closet.
On “Cupid,” Beatty perfectly captures the awkwardness of crushing and young love. He adds an extra layer (being gay) as he reminisces back. “He’s the only one on my mind / He’s the only one I call when I’m feeling reckless,” he sings longingly on the chorus. His feelings are ratcheted up as he proposes dating his crush (who has a girlfriend) and expresses willingness to give him any and everything. But, of course, love is never that easy, and this scenario is a prime example of ‘it’s complicated.’
The remainder of the opening quote, excerpted from the outro, speaks to the atoning escapism of a lonely teen boy’s mind, that’s universally relatable: “…Maybe then you’ll say you love me back / But until then, I’ll be dreaming about that.” Cupid messes with us all.
You can learn more about Ryan Beatty here:
About The Curator - Brent Faulkner
Slightly eccentric with interests that seem to know no ends, restless ‘Renaissance Man’ is the best way to characterize Brent Faulkner, a native of Kentucky. A certified music educator, multi-instrumentalist, and composer known for his incredibly sharp ear, he lives and breathes music of a variety of styles. In addition to passion for educating, performing, and writing music, he’s equally passionate blogging and writing about it, managing his own site, The Musical Hype (https://themusicalhype.com). When he’s not intensely analyzing music, you can find him reading or watching a movie, reality television or some sporting event.
