Dominic Fike’s uncanny ability to convey his thoughts and feelings separate him from the pack.

I recently had the pleasure of watching New York Times Presents: Dominic Fike on Hulu and it increased my appreciation for his music considerably. He’s far more than meets the eye (i.e. He’s not just some kid from Florida who somehow got lucky and had a multi-million-dollar record deal fall into his lap). He’s extremely talented.

IF you haven’t seen his documentary, I’ll give you the Sparknotes. Dom Fike wasn’t dealt the greatest life-card (grew up poor, parents in and out of jail for drugs, etc), but always kept a positive outlook. He was another one of those artists who took heavy advantage of Soundcloud and would often make snippets of songs to upload. One day Fike found himself in a “wrong place, wrong time” situation, which would eventually lead to jail time. While in the pen, he released his first EP (without being able to see the outcome in real time). Long story short, the EP completely blew up on Soundcloud. Labels upon labels wanted to sign Dom, resulting in an all out bidding war… and, in the end, Dom walked away with a 4+ Million Dollar deal.

From then to now he’s definitely blossomed as an artist, experimenting with different sounds/genres and using his life experiences to guide his records. Last year he came out with his much anticipated album What Could Possibly Go Wrong, and from the looks of it, the outpour of praise has catapulted him into complete stardom.

Our favorite track on the album is “Politics & Violence”: a title aptly fitting for the current climate.

Fike spins the title into a twisted love song. Just take the chorus:

“Mileage, politics and violence
At least somebody’s drivin’
All you need to fall in love”

Throughout the song, he references his reservations with Hollywood and the fact that there’s a chance he doesn’t “make it”. However, he feels that no matter what, he will continue to have someone by his side. According to Fike, “Mileage” or a long-lasting relationship, “politics” or disagreements, and “violence” or friction in a relationship is the recipe to fall (and stay) in love.

Also, who isn’t a sucker for a song with layers? Think Frank Oceans’s “Pyramids” or Tyler’s “911 / Mr. Lonely”… what do they have in common? Layers. Frank starts by nobly discussing ‘Cleopatra and her jewels that are too precious’, and then noticeably pivots to a more sultry, gentleman’s club vibe. There are two feelings within the song that, instead of fighting with each other, can peacefully coexist. “Politics & Violence” is no different: as soon as you hear the beat switch-up, you know Dom is trying to project a new sentiment.

I love this track from front to back, and in my mind, is what separates Fike from other newly famous, young artists. Give this track a listen, think on it, and then listen again.