Bridesmen – Overwhelm
“Oh, I’m not fighting this anymore / It never did me no good.”
Despite the tenderness of Bridesmen’s latest track, it packs a staggering punch.
Laced with synth-infused keyboard notes and soft, atmospheric electronic harmonies, Los Angeles-based musician Bridesmen—the moniker for the talented Kenton Chen—unfurls a powerful and emotionally-charged narrative.
He confronts social and cultural issues of today in his latest track, “Overwhelm.” The origin of the lyrics springs from Chen’s childhood fear of feeling isolated due to his identity as a second generation Asian immigrant and as a member of the LGBTQ community.
In the beginning of the track, you can hear the longing in his infection; the dire need to be accepted and understood, the deep passion behind the personal truths he is singing about.
The lyrics in “Overwhelm” candidly chronicle Chen’s story, as well as his doubts and his fears as he comes into who he truly is. He describes the painful reality of loneliness that he has experienced due to those fears, and how it can effect others, not just himself.
As the song comes to a close, it becomes a breath of fresh air. In juxtaposition to his fears, “Overwhelm” chronicles his epiphany, as well—his realization that he is going to begin living as he truly is: “The shadow’s caving in / I’m ready to begin.”
His cooing of the lyrics, paired with the fusion of indie and neo-soul harmonies in his inflection, tie together to create a fiercely powerful track about the battles we have within ourselves, and how we can come to solve them.
Words by Alexis den Boggende
