REVIEW: "Lowkey Stressed" by Taylor Tote
"Lowkey Stressed", the latest single from Taylor Tote, is pop music at its best. For 3 minutes, Tote mixes Stevie Nicks' raw emotional power with Dua Lipa's flair and creates a powerfully honest account of the anxieties that come with modern love. While the song suggests she may still be finding her feet regarding matters of the heart, as an artist, this is definitely not the case. With her immensely catchy and anthemic pop, Tote has carved out a rightful place in New Jersey and New York's music scenes and is almost certainly destined to be a household name.
While this track lures us into an intimate setting, you never lose the feeling that "Lowkey Stressed" truly belongs on summer festival stages in front of thousands of adoring fans. As a songwriter, this balance between the anthemic and the personal is what Tote seems to have mastered effectively. For example, before the last chorus, Tote sings, "And I really start to know how I feel", and with this, we get a sense of personal resolve. Together, we can finally see the wood for the trees, and when the song erupts into the final chorus, it feels that bit more triumphant.
"Lowkey Stressed" is off the upcoming EP '21 Min Drive', and if this song is anything to go by, the EP is looking to be a huge success. A unique fusion of contemporary sounds, '21 Min Drive', collaborates with producer Russell Hayden and draws upon pop, R&B, dance, and electronic music. Considering how brilliant "Lowkey Stressed" sounds, it is incredible to think that this entire EP was recorded and engineered remotely over three weeks. If anything, it is a testament to her drive as an artist to pull off an ambitious and well-executed project during the constraints of Covid. However, Tote is clearly no stranger to the music industry hustle. When she is not penning catchy pop songs, she spends her days at Marymount Manhattan College studying Media and Arts Management, Social Entrepreneurship, and Music Industry.
Editor’s Note: Stay tuned as we will have a review of Taylor's EP soon!
It is no surprise that The New Jersey Stage Magazine described her as a 'powerhouse performer' and that she has picked up four nominees as 'Top Female Vocalist' at The AMAs. The future holds big things for Taylor Tote, and "Lowkey Stressed" is precisely that. A big song for a big summer ahead.
MORE: Q&A with Taylor Tote
Written by George Barnett