There’s a new “Closer” in town

When the Chainsmokers released their song “Closer” in the summer of 2016 it became an instant hit. Its popularity soared as the song spent 12 weeks at number one on the Billboard Top 100, making not only the tune but also the title become insanely recognizable. Soon, though, the Chainsmokers distinguished title could be overrun by an up-and-coming artist, GAWVI, who recently released his own song of the same name.

GAWVI’s “Closer”, is the first single from his full length album We Belong, set to be released on March 31, 2017. Available on Spotify and Apple Music, “Closer” is an electronic pop song containing a strong bass line that drives its likability. The rhythms and syncopation heard in “Closer” are repetitive enough to make the song feel more familiar as each chorus rolls back around, yet have enough variation to keep the song interesting and lively. It is clear that GAWVI already knows what makes good music as his two EP’s released in 2016 both reached Top 5 on Billboard’s Top Dance/ Electronic Album charts. But with a full album, GAWVI’s success will only grow as he changes the face of Christian music.

While GAWVI’s sound is mostly synthesized and electronic, the opening to “Closer” is simply a series of piano chords played with a soprano vocal track over  them. This slow, melodic intro is similar to what a church soloist would sing on Sunday morning, adding to the religious themes of the song. However, the piano is then quickly replaced with an electronic chord progression, giving a modern feel to what started as a traditional sounding piece. The double-time snare just before the chorus builds energy, leading to a chorus filled with dance-worthy bass and catchy vocals. Some of the lyrics, such as “you forgive me, you never leave me/ I don’t know where I’d be without your love”, give reference to GAWVI’s religion and his belief in God pushing this song into the Christian music genre. With this theme in his music, “Closer” would be appreciated by the younger Christian community as it is modern and upbeat while still having a positive, religious message of acceptance and forgiveness. While the instrumentation and synthesis of the piece are tastefully done, they do not have many distinguishing characteristics to make it different than other songs of its genre. Increased originality likely would have given GAWVI a larger audience and a more memorable single. But, the lyrics and positive message will allow GAWVI to find great success in the field of Christian artists and even in more secular areas as his sound is comparable to many of the current top artists, like Chainsmokers and Calvin Harris.

GAWVI has had success in other areas, producing music for artists like Trip Lee and Lecrae, a Grammy award winning Christian rapper. GAWVI received a Dove Award, an accolade from the Gospel Music Association, for his work on Lecrae’s album Anomaly which debuted number one on the Billboard 200 chart. This success lead to GAWVI inking a record deal with Reach Records (with whom he is now recording his newest album).

With so much success already, it is likely that GAWVI is just seeing the beginning of a thriving future. If he continues his creation of such captivating, electronic mixes, a genre currently in high demand, it will not be difficult for GAWVI to gain a following of young, energized listeners who are eager to hear more of what this new artist has to offer.