Three years ago, the warm, baritone vocals of singer-songwriter George Ezra cemented him as one of the UK’s most loved and best-selling artists. His first hit ‘Budapest’ was a sleeper, slowly but surely becoming one of the most popular songs of 2014, and with his debut album Wanted On Voyage being an unprecedented success, namely for the man himself (it rose to the number one spot after four months in the chart), Ezra is back to prove he can do it all over again. With his new single, ‘Don’t Matter Now’, it seems he could have another hit on his hands.
The majority of Ezra’s first album and EP’s remind us of good ol’ British summer time, and it seems we should be adding this track to our list. ‘Don’t Matter Now’ is typical George – happy-go-lucky, care-free and just really bloody lovely. This new chilled-out and positive “don’t give a shit” vibe in the midst of the latest pop and R&B releases makes Ezra stand out, with the track encompassing all we know and love about him, from the laid-back production, the brass band accompaniment, to the ‘do-do-do’ refrain throughout – it is a recipe for pure summer joy. Essentially, Ezra implores us to forget about all the bad stuff and just enjoy yourselves; the track is the artist personified, for sure.
Released just in time for the festival season, with Glastonbury less than a week away, it is clear that Ezra’s new track will become a favourite from the word go – you can already picture the crowd swaying and singing along, basking in the UK sunshine. Ezra’s music goes to prove that you don’t need gimmicks, several featured artists and a repetitive sample to make a summer hit; you just need to be yourself, be happy, and forget about all the bad times.
[Originally written for Redbrick Music]
Kirstie Sutherland 