The summer is almost upon us, which means two things; the beach will be our new home, and the airwaves will be hurling new beats and jams at us,as both local and international musicians try to rule the summer. Already, Ed Sheeran’s

I Don’t Care (ft Justin Bieber) has made an impressionable bid to win our hearts this summer.  Birthed a couple weeks ago, the Internet and radio stations alike have found it to be an aphrodisiac, as it is constantly being played. Sheeran’s smooth vocals, kissed by the pop prince’s upbeat, raspy melody has put many in a trance.  Textured by electronic beats and sprinkled with Dancehall melodies, the track causes involuntary and infectious rocking, head bobbing and essentially a good vibe we all can appreciate. The two singers are no strangers, as Sheeran actually wrote the song

Love Yourself, which took Bieber to the zenith of his 2016 career.  We loved that song, just as we love this new hit, which is already ranked second on the Billboard top 100. The soothing yet vibrant vocals translate a depth of meaning, that regardless of where you are and whatever may be happening around you, that once you have that special person then life is fantastic. Truly, the two have created a neo-classical love ballad that still connects with us all. The most piercing lines “Cause I don’t care when I’m with my baby/all the bad things disappear/and you making me feel like somebody” encapsulate the romantic aura and finesse that the single is projecting. Suddenly, it doesn’t even matter how that teacher gets on your nerves, or the weight of the exam pressure you’re feeling, It’s as if all that negative energy vanishes when that person comes around, and you can just vibe and enjoy each other’s company. Admittedly, it took a couple replays for this one to reach me, but slowly it has grown on me and I have become appreciative of this lyrical masterpiece. Perhaps you felt the same? For others it may have been an immediate fad and now it’s the only song you know.  Undeniably, it’s a summer smash. The video, however, is a little too risque for my liking. It’s Avant garde ensemble will definitely take some time to digest. It starts off with an elegant ballroom dinner and well dressed ladies and gents, with Sheeran in a typical black suit. Normal, right? Think again. The background suddenly morphs into a cartoon scene and dare I say it, a Panda mascot/costume is his new apparel. Quickly, it reverts to the opulent ballroom scene, only this time he struts a bathroom robe and bobby socks, while belting out his tune confidently. Bazaar, zany and awkward don’t even begin to describe the video, as Sheeran takes us now to the poolside with girls in bikinis. Sheeran dons the head of a horse in contrast to sunny skies, and we see bouncing eyeballs for beach balls. If you look closely enough, a man happily dances in a corn costume. Clearly he took everyone’s ideas for this one: flying spaceships in this ‘cartoon-esque’ scene, colourful water with a shark, and the infamous panda suit alongside a dancing teddy bear are just a few of the ‘unique flairs’ added to the video. Bieber does not miss a beat when he comes soaring in like Aladdin on a flying carpet. And just when you thought he would be normal in his white shorts, shirtless by the poolside, he gets himself a teddy bear costume and viola! That’s Bieber. Not long after does he transition to an ice cream cone, then an ice cream part Pegasus/unicorn that soars away into god knows what. The video takes us to the jungle, where we meet a T-Rex, the beach, Egypt, and even to outer space. It’s thoroughly explorative, to say the least, with both singers transitioning from inanimate objects to cowboys, with back-up dancing mascots to boot. Although very different, and for some this video it may just be fun and humorous, while just awkward for others, maybe they are both sending a message. Perhaps being in love (or ‘in like’) with someone is crazy and we can make no sense of it, but once you have that person it really does not matter, and eventually some normalcy might come. They could be telling us that no matter how awkward we ourselves get, that special someone will take you as you are and enjoy your crazy. Just love and appreciate love and life itself, no matter the crazy. Or maybe I’m just going too deep and it’s just a misfit video for a beautiful song? We may never know! 

–Tamoy Campbell