Indie artists usually get the short end of the stick these days. Without a label and a whole team to back them up, indie artists don’t usually last long. To make it in an industry as brutal as the music industry, you need determination, grit, endurance, and most importantly, talent. When you don’t have all of those things, it can be hard to break through and make a name for yourself. As an indie artist, you’ll have to compete with millions of wannabe musicians who are posting and promoting themselves in any way. With the many choices, this industry presents you with, you’ll need a large following and dedicated listeners if you’re going to keep going.
Luckily, for one artist, he has all of those attributes in spades. Earthling XO is an Ohio-based indie rock artist. He is a rising star, and you should keep your eyes on him. The exciting thing about him is that he blends melody with heartfelt instruments, and he adds a dash of that glowing, eccentric vibe that fans can’t get enough of. So many genres of music inspire earthling XO, and he incorporates that in his songs. This incorporation results in a fresh new take on indie rock.
As a rising star, Earthling XO has developed an impressive online following. His Spotify has more than 10,000 monthly listeners, and he has more than 12,000 followers on Instagram. His followers are rock and indie music listeners. The sheer number of followers and listeners he has proves he appeals to a large number of people and that people do gravitate to his music.
In 2020, Earthling XO released his EP, The Arrival. The EP showcases his talent and creativity. The three songs in the EP all contain his aptitude for meaningful lyrics and melodies that you’ll be thinking about for days. The three songs have a different vibe going for them, and none of them sound the same.
In “Rum and Coke,” the persona talks about a beloved who doesn’t love them back, and as a result, he drowns out his feelings in “a steady diet of rum and coke.” The persona talks about good things that never last and how people can break your heart when you let them in. The melody made by an acoustic guitar is punctuated by melancholic and beautiful vocals and lyrics that will break your heart.
In “Sadie Hawkins,” the persona tells the listeners a story about a girl who has lost the plot. The persona reminisces good times like an eight-grade Sadie Hawkins dance, and he laments how he cannot be the good boy that saves the good girl.
