The Favors’ debut song is anything but a mess
Finneas and Ashe hit the ground running with their debut single as a band, “The Little Mess You Made”. Between Finneas’ refined production skills and Ashe’s clear and moving vocals, the duo’s first foray into the scene as The Favors lays a foundation that promises moving, emotional, and catchy tracks for listeners everywhere.
The song opens with a few notes on a hypnotizing synth, followed quickly by a snare drum beat. If the relaxing tempo was not already tempting enough, Finneas begins the first verse with that recognizable, gravelly voice that is nothing short of addictive. The song glides into the chorus, filled with beautiful harmonies and powerful vocals that hit every note with a strength that makes you want to go back a few seconds - and listen to the chorus again. If the first verse was raw and filled with bass, then Ashe’s turn on the second verse brings the peppy vocals that add a bittersweet tone to the melancholy of the song. As the instrumental builds up and the emotion heightens, the lyrics present a familiar situation; complex, freeing, heartbreaking all at once. The groove of that 70’s new wave with a modern flare combines for the perfect soundtrack to an imperfect scenario: crushing loss but newfound freedom.
In lyric, in melody, in theme, “The Little Mess You Made” is that last ditch effort to shed light on those problems that many leave unacknowledged, until there is no choice but to acknowledge it. The duo sings, “Maybe I’m too late / Maybe it’s too soon / Who gets all the blame? / I guess it’s up to you”. The song is pure desperation, a futile attempt at reconciling what has been damaged too much - wrapped in a package of synth and a head-bopping beat.
Finneas’ rise in the music scene has been nothing short of meteoric, from a supportive brother/producer for his little sister, world-wide pop star Billie Eilish, to a successful musician in his own right with his own unique sound. Ashe, on the other hand, has been rocking the scene for years, from her debut single, “Use to it” in 2017, to her EP “Moral of the Story: Chapter 1” (Which Finneas entirely produced) to her live performances with Niall Horan in his latest tour. Their decision to join forces (or rather, join forces again—let’s not forget about how “Till Forever Falls Apart” took the world by storm) leaves us with a new band filled with experience, talent, and writing finesse; “The Little Mess You Made” and their upcoming album, “The Dream”, is just the tip of the iceberg.