HILTON - Cartoon
By Libby Driscoll
Floating in from the city of Los Angeles, alternative pop artist HILTON bares an honest take on the reality of life in the hills with his most popular single to date, Cartoon.
HILTON - Cartoon
Swaying away from the pseudo-glamour in which LA is typically depicted throughout the media, HILTON uses his lived experiences to detail truths behind the city. Explaining the inspiration behind Cartoon, he tells us;
“ 'Cartoon' covers some of the dark themes which I've experienced in LA since moving here from my hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. The verses talk about how Hollywood isn't all it's built up to be, and how true happiness doesn't come from the artificial pleasures which this city is selling. The chorus explains how true joy can only come from genuine things which money can't buy, like love.”
What I especially like about the composition is that despite revealing an almost disappointing truth behind the city, audibly the music feels very optimistic, almost as if letting go of the city’s flawed expectations has set him free. The lo-fi instrumentation is phased in with picked electric guitar chords and condensed vocals proclaiming, ‘I bet there’s a cocaine party in the hills right now, every big name is feeling so small somehow. Bet they all wish they had a girl like you to make life feel like a cartoon, you ‘aint ever got to wake up’.
Typically, tracks with limited instrumentation that follow pop structures and repeated melodies can be hit or miss, but HILTON’s ability to keep the flow of the music feeling relevant throughout is flawless. The understated approach to the composition allows the memorability of the vocal melodies to take the lead on the whole song, perfectly tailoring itself as an anthemic sing-along crowd pleaser.
Ultimately, Cartoon bares itself as it is; the refreshing take that strays from the falsehood of LA exposes HILTON as an artist that doesn’t shy away from reality, allowing his music to reflect the realism of his life’s journey. HILTON is without a doubt going to become a household name in the world of pop, and I personally can’t wait to see what the future holds for this up and coming star.