If you are under the age of 25 ( I guess for the sake of the fact that it’s me writing this and I am 25 years-old) then it’s probably more likely that you have been on TikTok than not.
And if you have been on TikTok, you’ve heard the song “Dancing in my Room” by 347 Aidan, who isn’t even 18 yet and has already taken the world by storm.
This humble Cambridge upstart got some props from a few local labels/creative production companies before inevitably making it big on what seems to be his own merits. By that I mean, even with access to professional quality recording tools, this young gem blew-up making songs in his bedroom.
The effect is beautifully messy, somewhat lo-fi and all-around infectious. When you hear the song “Dancing in my Room”, it’s not hard to picture its narrator, 347 Aidan, “swaying his feet” as he fumbles through his self-developed, haphazard recording technique.
My intention here is not to deride, because, for better or worse, there are a thousand artists out there throwing money down the toilet to promo their mediocre music. And then there are kids like 347 Aidan who just sing good – passionately – and write catchy lyrics.
Even over top of the slick production of the world-famous producer, Kenny Beats on his newest single “IDWK”, what carries the track is the same spark that carried him from his home-studio beginnings to the same studio as some of hip-hop’s most talented and successful artists.
For younger artists, this should be endearing, though it will inevitably stoke some envy. What 347 Aidan has is a pretty natural talent, and a disposition towards isolating himself and churning out resonate soundwaves.
At the end of the day, his rise proves one thing overall: that good art will always speak for itself.
Slick production and vocal polishing aren’t necessary if you want to be evocative and relatable. In fact, maybe the opposite is true. Maybe what we are continuing to see is a new wave of mainstream artists who understand that the shimmery production of a perfectly A&R’d song doesn’t really resonate with everyone.