Up and coming UK artist Ed Staal has been steadily releasing tracks since 2019. Over the years, he’s gained a loyal following from his home in Herefordshire, throughout the country and beyond thanks to his intuitive songwriting and flawless, radio-ready execution. Many of his touching songs deal with matters of the heart and his newest single ‘WHY’ is no exception.
While to some, the title of this delicate pop song might be a rhetorical question without an answer for to why a relationship came to an end, but unusually for songs of this type, Staal already knows the reasons. His questioning isn’t why they broke-up, but why it hurts so much to love someone who isn’t right for you. His voice is utterly vulnerable and he uses that sincere pop clarity to great effect throughout ‘WHY’. Staal’s vocal performance is further emphasised by the cinematic backdrop, which develops from a restrained ballad with lullaby-esque piano melody into a richly layered electro-pop anthem.
Once all the emotions have come bursting forth, Ed Staal leads the listener back to the quiet moment to ask for one last time, “why, oh why, am I in love with you?”
“Why is a song I wrote a long time ago after parting ways with someone I truly loved and comes from a place in my heart as pure and true as any song I’ve ever made. For me this song will always be a reminder of how frustrating it can be to truly care for someone that just isn’t right for you, and how uncontrollably irrational love can be.”
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