Nineteen-year-old musician, Ally Ahern, showcases her special blend of chilling alternative pop with her latest single “Bad For Me.”
Starting with the meaning of the song, Ahern explains, “It is very dark – it is about a toxic relationship that you can’t let go of because the attraction, connection, and draw to that person is so strong.” Ahern brilliantly crafted a sound to match the dismal themes that are prominent in the track. “It is a very passionate track, and has a very dark and mysterious, but also cool and smooth vibe to it,” she says.
What adds to that dark and mysterious vibe is the compelling instrumentation. At the beginning of the song, the listener is acquainted with some electronic instrumentation that trickles down before a heavy beat and vocals are introduced. In the background, there is some thick, deep electronic instrumentation that buzzes over the track and adds a smoothness and moodiness to it.
The bridge and closing are especially attention-grabbing when it comes to the instrumentation. During the bridge, the beat gets a bit more consistent before reaching the closing, in which the lavish instrumentation is reduced to just the piano and Ahern’s vocals are re-introduced.
Meanwhile, the vocals are very expressive and are some of the most impressive parts of the entire track. They start off fairly delicate at the beginning of the piece, which helps to introduce her role in the song as a victim of the toxic relationship she’s singing about. With lyrics such as, “Strong as I may be/ I just can’t shake you free,” and, “So give me those eyes/ And suddenly it’s all forgiven/ We keep it quiet/ ‘Cause you know that it’s forbidden,” gives the listener the idea that the singer is feeling hurt. These lyrics also showcase how difficult it is to leave a person you’ve been in a long relationship with, despite how bad the relationship really is.
Ahern’s vocals also mesh with other low-pitched vocals throughout various parts of the song, adding to the dark atmosphere. In a few parts of the song, there are captivating vocal harmonies that draw the listener in. The subtle reverb on the vocals laced throughout the track also drives the overall dark tone.
“Bad For Me” is certainly a gloomy track that will captivate the listener with its distinct sound and overall impressive composition. Currently, she is studying at Berklee College of Music and working on a follow-up release.
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