What should an artist aim for with their debut single? In a music industry obsessed with views and profit, many choose to grab attention with overproduced backing tracks, controversial lyrics, and sexualized music videos. But in Darrell Yim, we see a different kind of up-and-coming artist.
His first single, “Sometimes we fall”, begins with a smooth piano riff, before Darrell’s vocals enter with minimal accompaniment. This track captures you not with a catchy hook, but rather with the sheer authenticity of his artistic expression. Darrell opens up about his struggles, telling us of the times when he had “no car, no ride, no love, nobody’s help”. The feeling of desertion in your darkest times is something that we all can relate to in varying degrees. In my opinion, Darrell shows great insight as an artist when he taps into this universal experience to draw in the listener.
But this song is not about falling and staying down. On the contrary, Darrell encourages you to “Just stand up tall and show them a fight”. At its core, this single is an ode to resilience and self-reliance. Darrell tells us how jealousy used to drain his energy. But he realizes later coming in last is just an opportunity to learn more. He talks about how he grew the most when his friends left him, and presents us with the final thesis of his work; “Don’t ever let somebody tell you how to live your life.”
The accompanying music video shows Darrell in the ring, sparring with his coach. This may seem stereotypical for a song about facing adversity. But just like the songwriting, Darrell stays true to himself in the video as well. The video is set in the American Kickboxing Academy, a MMA gym that Darrell used to train at in his youth.
Unfortunately, a spinal injury forced Darrell to quit MMA, and left him searching for a new way to challenge himself. The answer was music. Darrell chose to not only focus on personal growth, but to motivate and encourage his audience to do the same. And if that’s not a great reason to give his music a chance, I don’t know what is.
Darrell Yim’s debut single aims to make a statement. It is a call to action for those of us who feel like life has knocked us down. This artist is here to make some waves, and I, for one, will watch his music journey with great interest.
