James Cole raps like his life depends on it. In fact, he even says so, in the second verse of his latest single, ‘Live Forever’.
Cole has a certain urgency in his lyricism, the utter conviction that music has an absolute power to transform its listeners. It’s that compulsion to connect that is the driving force behind ‘Live Forever’, and it serves as a statement from an artist who is determined that the music he releases will serve as a legacy.
Cole’s tracks are well constructed, with witty lyrics, and performed with passion. They’re built to stand the test of time, and show that, even for one so young, he has a clear grasp of the big picture, and is telling a personal story with his songs, which will resonate deeply with his listeners.
‘Live Forever’ addresses the quest for artistic immortality; it’s a very serious topic, and deals with the need to have dedication and vision in order to attain that legendary status. Even so, Cole is able to tackle it with the wit and humour he uses to approach all his other singles, with wordplay, a range of flow, and his inflections sharply matched to the sound and intensity of the beat.
The song comes with a gorgeously shot video, with a humorous storyline that follows his adventures as he takes a day trip to an island, and is unable to return home, after missing the last ferry (because of a reduced service due to Covid-19 restrictions). He settles into his new life, ‘Castaway’ style, even drawing a face on his frisbee to keep him company. He’s resigned to living there forever, or at least until the pandemic is over…watch right to the end to see what happens.
You can find out more about James Cole and his music from his official website. Let us know what you think of ‘Live Forever’ in the comments below!
