“Earrings” by Malcolm Todd has been on the charts for a while now. The song originally debuted on his mixtape Sweet Boy, a mixtape Todd has described as “a reflection of the feelings and inspirations I had in my last year as a teenager. It was a good time.”” But interestingly, Sweet Boy was released back in the spring of 2024, a little over two years ago now, and has only recently been seen on the Billboard Charts. This is due to a variety of reasons, but I assume you can guess the most prominent one: TikTok. TikTok has given many songs a second life (or, in this case, a first life), and “Earrings” has been their target. So what about this song has caught listeners’ ears?
Why Malcolm Todd’s “Earrings” Has Found New Life
Ones To Watch described the song as such: “The mixtape opens with the focus track ‘Earrings,’ which bursts with vibrancy from the start. Understated percussion, grooving bass lines, retro-infused keys, and guitar riffs usher in Todd’s bright and, for lack of a better word, sweet vocals, which croon over the stellar production lines about love. The track culminates in a psychedelic collage of sound and fuzzed-out harmonies that leave the listener with a simple and straightforward message from the artist, ‘Okay, well, I hope you like my mixtape.'” You can hear for yourself below.
Throughout the song, earrings are used symbolically as something that was left behind in a relationship. The instrumental takes a laid-back, slightly retro feeling, and turns this summertime hit about falling out of love into a dance track. Todd uses 7ths throughout to imply feelings of wisrfullness or longing for something unresolved. As Atwood Magazine describes, “It’s a testament to that pestering feeling of doubt, regret, and the constant questioning of ‘what if’ that leads to that complete and utter strangeness between two people. Alternative artist Malcolm Todd breaks down the fourth wall and defies all odds when it comes to understanding one’s own feelings in his track ‘Earrings’ off his latest album, Sweet Boy.”
Personally, Malcolm Todd has been one of my favorite artists that I’ve discovered this year. His sound so clearly pays homage to his inspirations, but creates something new from it. If this “late” rise to the charts proves anything, is that the staying power of his music is apparent and you should keep your ears out for what’s coming in the future.
