Premiere: Wind Meets West – “Gave Up”
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Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Wind Meets West (Tony Nguyen) is ready to go all in for his dream of being a musician. “Gave Up,” his latest single and first venture into the world of indie pop, is a testament to that cause.
Wind Meets West – “Gave Up”
With roots in classical and jazz training, Nguyen first found his voice with the release of last year’s aptly named Promising EP—a short three song collection that tested the waters for the artist. Promising EP was an easy enough listen, providing safe pop songs in the vein of adult contemporary music. But what his debut lacked in complexity, it made up in showcasing Nguyen’s stunning, booming voice. Best described as a more polished, stripped back version of Arthur Ashin’s (Autre Ne Veut) strident singing style, Nguyen’s unique vocal abilities are worth getting excited about.
On “Gave Up,” Nguyen rightfully uses that voice as the star of the show. For a song about “leaving a relationship in Boston to pursue being an indie-pop singer-songwriter in New York City,” there’s an unmistakable emotional core that is only brought out by Nguyen’s stirring vocals. After a quiet build up, “Gave Up” explodes with sentiment–hitting its climax right when Nguyen belts out the titular chorus (“I gave you up”). In its very message and core, it’s a song that reflects that emotional push and pull of making a bittersweet decision, and that uncertainty of never really knowing where you’re headed. Topped with personal, intimate lyrics (“There’s poetry in the margins / Of the book that you’ve given to me / To remind me of what we used to be / When love was just a seed”), “Gave Up” is a triumphant rebranding of Nguyen’s sound, and a definitive push in the right direction.
Wind Meets West will release his second EP, Piece of You, in July.
Artist Pages: Facebook | Spotify | Website
Li-Wei Chu is the chief editor of From the Intercom. When he’s not editing drafts and searching for new artists to cover for the website, he loves watching cult films, cooking, and listening to his ever-growing collection of vinyl records. You can follow him on LetterBoxd and make fun of his taste in movies here!
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