By Jason Small
While I did feel late to the party in discovering her, Hannah Slavin of Glasgow nonetheless made a storming impression back in February with then-latest track I Don’t Give A F*** About You after it had been plastered all over my social feeds, and when pondering the question of her being a superstar in the making, I responded with “very much so”.
Well it’s been a few months now and Hannah has continued to deservedly garner positive attention, even in the face of the lockdown situation and the like, and I predict she’s only going to fly even higher with her newest single, Mac & Cheese.
First off, the basic elements. Hannah’s vocals are superb and can easily match up with the elite who currently rule the mainstream charts, and this counts on both a technical level and the degree in which her words resound with such a sharp honesty. The production is top class, where the sound is sublimely fresh, the beat is snappy, and the melody is so intoxicating, especially the case with the memorable chorus.
But let’s get to the real meat, which is the writing, and oh man, is it potent stuff. The main theme of the song is the aftermath of a dissolved relationship, which includes needing to mask under a happy face while deep down you are hurting like hell, and as touched upon earlier, Hannah really captures the strain of the burden that she’s created for herself. The line “I’m getting pretty good at lying, ‘cause nobody knows by the time I get home, I’ll be very busy crying” in particular packs a legitimately wind-knocking punch as it sums it all up perfectly.
And while the single was initially sparked from a break-up, it’s impact can still undeniably resonate with those who haven’t endured that specific type of experience, instead being an accurate reflection of people that have suffered through a bout of depression where they are left demotivated, lacking the energy to commit to anything for days on end; a scenario that I’ve unfortunately been familiar with in the past.
Mac & Cheese ticks every box necessary to make for what is easily one of the most heavy-hitting Scottish releases of the year that cements Hannah Slavin as nothing less than a phenomenal talent.
What was it I said in the past? That she was “very much so” a superstar in the making? I would now like to update that sentiment and whole-heartedly say that Hannah is definitely a superstar in the making.
FACEBOOK: hannahslavinmusic
TWITTER: @hannahslavin___
INSTAGRAM: hannahslavin
The Music Files 