Have you been looking for music that will absolutely tear you to shreds while simultaneously building you back up? Well, look no further because Luke Hemmings has got you covered!
Luke is an immensely gifted musician who has captivated audiences worldwide with his beautiful and impressive voice, charm, lyrical genius, and undeniable musical brilliance! Luke has been a part of the music industry since the formation of his band, 5 Seconds Of Summer, in 2011. Since its debut, the world-famous band has been making huge waves in the industry with chart-topping songs and sold-out tours! And while the band has many songs we could gush about, we’ll abstain from discussing those tracks today and taking a closer look at Luke’s solo work!
In August 2021, Luke revealed his much-anticipated first solo album, When Facing The Things We Turn Away From! Now, before you start freaking out: no, the band has not broken up! In fact, they have never been stronger! In a few days, they’ll take to the stage on their tour, The 5 Seconds Of Summer Show! You can buy your tickets here! No need to worry about waiting another 18 months…
Okay, now that you’re breathing again, let’s dive right in!
‘Mum’
Yes, we’re starting right in the deep end! You’re welcome!
According to Luke, the song is essentially a letter to his mum but in a musical format. That makes sense, right?
‘Mum’ discusses how Luke realizes how much his family means to him. He talks about not seeing them as much as he would like. And after losing time with them, he is growing to understand how much he truly appreciates his mum and family as a whole. ‘Mum’ reminds us to treasure the indelible relationships we have with those we love and to keep them close to our hearts at all times.
Listeners are left with a profound sense of sad beauty as the final notes of ‘Mum’ softly fade away. Luke’s expressive storytelling and soulful vocals merge to create a masterpiece that hits hard and tears us to shreds.
‘A Beautiful Dream’
Sonically, the track gives the feeling of living in a dream-like state, which is very fitting. The very first note of ‘A Beautiful Dream’ casts a spell-like sound, luring listeners into a dreamscape of chimerical melodies. Luke’s ethereal vocals seamlessly weave through the delicate melodies, producing a serene ambiance that sends listeners to a peaceful world. The velvety sounds of the song urge us to shut our eyes and succumb to its beautiful embrace.
This song comes from the word “zenosyne,” which is the feeling that as you get older, time moves quicker. I hadn’t seen my family in Australia for almost two years—I still haven’t seen them—and this was inspired by reliving memories of a child. It has a voicemail from my mum hidden among the music. I find it difficult to remember anything in general, so I suppose it’s about not wanting my most precious memories to fade away.
Luke discussed the meaning behind ‘A Beautiful Dream’ in an Instragram Live.
Out of all the tracks on When Facing The Things We Turn Away From, this might be the one that hurts the most.
We’ll expose ourselves here by telling you that our tears are ruining our keyboards 🥲.
‘Slip Away’
The fact that this track almost didn’t make the cut for this album is insane. If you haven’t grabbed a box of tissues yet, now is the time.
With devastating lyrics and honest vulnerability, Luke bares his innermost thoughts in ‘Slip Away.’ The track begins with a beautiful melody that provides a melancholy, heart-wrenching, soul-crushing tone that grows as Luke’s wispy vocals smoothly merge with the haunting music.
He encapsulates the raw emotions of longing using introspective lyrics, expressing the sense of a loved one sliding through one’s fingertips.
He sings about his mistakes and flaws, making himself vulnerable by opening up about his fears. The song captures the dread and anxiety that creep into your mind at night when you can’t control all the negative thoughts that dance through your head. Lyrically, he highlights his ongoing fear of expecting loved ones to leave when they discover who you truly are.
‘Place In Me’
AKA the saddest single from When Facing The Things We Turn Away From!
Just when you thought ‘Place In Me’ couldn’t possibly hurt any more than it already did, Luke decided it was best to tell us the meaning behind the song.
In an interview with Apple Music, Luke explained that ‘Place In Me’ is purely about letting someone down and is supposed to sound like a voicemail left on an answering machine. When taking that little description into account, the song hits even harder than it ever did before.
Luke is almost apologizing for what seems to have been an argument in which he was wrong and became defensive. He’s almost pleading for his loved one not to let him go and to accept the apology because he doesn’t know what he’d do without their love.
Luke’s introspective lyrics take hold of us and tug hard with no remorse on our heartstrings. Each line is carefully crafted and sentimental, resonating deeply with those who have felt similar pain and regret. The chorus takes this idea to the next level! As all metaphors are dropped, Luke becomes completely vulnerable and honest and wears his heart on his sleeve.
‘Repeat’
According to Luke, ‘Repeat’ is about the never-ending sense of chasing something out of reach or living in a certain way for a while, only to end up right back where you started—unrecognizable to yourself.
In a way, ‘Repeat’ is relieving. Before you call us crazy, give us a sec to explain ourselves.
Luke sings about accepting and realizing that he doesn’t recognize himself. While that is certainly not easy to admit or even deal with, there is something about the acknowledgment that feels like a weight that was once suffocating has now disappeared.
All that is left to do is to overcome this challenge and find yourself again! This track hurts so good because it urges us to look internally and determine whether we are happy with who we are and how we live or if there is something that we need to work on!
“If life’s a game of inches / How’d you get miles away?”
And to lighten the mood, we would like to appreciate the cute wordplay between inches and miles. 🙂
How are you doing? Are you feeling okay? We’re not surprised if you’re sitting on your floor bawling your eyes out. Because we are too. But if you aren’t, then we aren’t either. We, uh, we don’t cry … Anyway, thank you for joining us on this deeply upsetting yet necessary journey! Now is the time to tell us whether or not we left out any tracks on this list!
Which ones do you think should have been on here? Let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LUKE HEMMINGS:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
