‘90s Babe’ by ETHAN is the perfect marriage between modern R&B pop and the sound of nineties love songs. Featuring Keiynan Lonsdale, the latest single by the queer artist dropped in the nick of time on the last day of Pride Month. It’s an exploration of a tender relationship that desperately wants to experience the distinct nostalgia of the nineties love stories. The kind artists like Boyz II Men and All-4-One used to sing about; the kind films like You’ve Got Mail or Titanic used to tell about – of posting letters, secret romances and hideaways.
Production saturates the track in an electronic synth found in a lot of current mainstream music. Lyrically, the verses follow the vernacular of the present, full of pop culture slang and internet speak. However, the chorus slips into bluesy pop similar to that of NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. It’s a sound associated with other popular R&B artists of that era. In contrast to the verses, the chorus uses old-school phrases like “make love” in its lyrics and references bands like SWV. The combination of these nineties tropes with modern sound and technique gives ‘90s Babe’ quite a timeless feel.
ETHAN is a Sydney-based social media influencer with over 80,000 followers on TikTok. Musically, he credits the likes of Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Prince and Stevie Wonder as his inspirations. This is evident in all his songs, including ‘90s Babe’. Keiynan on the other hand is best known for his role as Wally West in The Flash TV series. He also starred as the love interest of Nick Robinson in the coming-of-age love story Love, Simon. Keiynan has also released music of his own. His debut album Rainbow Boy is a celebration of pride, exploring the ins and outs of falling in love – including the most intimate and physical parts of a relationship. That’s why, a collaboration between these two is such an obvious move to make.
Vocally, ETHAN sits lovingly on that key sonically familiar to nineties music. He adds a delicate and almost desperate air to the song, pairing well with the lyrics. Keiynan’s voice is sturdier, more in line with current mainstream artists like Daniel Caesar and Childish Gambino. It’s husky but firm and harmonises well below ETHAN as if he’s trying to catch him. The combination of both of their sounds is absolutely magical. It’s just right that they’re singing a song together that plays to their strengths and specific musical stylings.
They’re the perfect combo for a track that celebrates modern love undisturbed by gender binaries and sexual singularity, but also of romance so tender it recalls the clumsy and cliché love stories of a time before. As the lyrics go, “I know the world has changed / What if we just stay? / Pretend this is love in the nineties babe”.
Words by Mae Trumata
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