Jewelia Brings Nostalgic Joy On Latest Single ‘Second Best’

Jewelia has slowly been gaining traction over the past four years, thanks in main to her upbeat piano-driven pop songs and excellent use of the tools at her disposal. 

This came to light in 2018 when the Bucharest native was able to raise $5000 on Kickstarter to fund her debut album – ‘City of my Mind’. Since then,  Jewelia, who now resides in London, has steadily gained traction and has been featured on BBC Introducing including having an interview with the well-renowned DJ Abbie Mac.

Now the artist is back with her second single of 2022, the excellent ‘Second Best’. 

Commencing with a bouncy piano riff, which is joined by Jewelia’s subtly soothing vocals, the track is a great example of the singer at her most comfortable. “The more I run the more I stray / The world will not wait forever” she strains, in one of the better quips in a song filled with sharp lines and melancholic ideals. 

Musically ‘Second Best’ only gets stronger as it rises gradually to a grand crescendo finish. The first chorus finds Jewelia accompanied by a summer-tinged acoustic guitar whilst the second verse bursts into life with pounding drums, hand claps, and an accompanying sharp string section that are reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s early forays into pop music. The whole song feels inspired by a coming-of-age teen movie, where the protagonist is almost never bowed by the relentless nature of life as we head for the inevitable feel-good ending. 

Jewelia describes her own music as “A mixture of nostalgia-infused indie pop and piano-powered fairy tales” on her Soundcloud. ‘Second Best’, with its infectiously upbeat singer and noughties-inspired pounding pianos, is a perfect example of that. This artist has certainly nailed down her sound, now let's hope she can reap the rewards. 

James Ogden 

Image: ‘Second Best’ Official Single Cover