TikTokTues: Ethan Jewell is “Living the Dream”
TikTokTues: Ethan Jewell is “Living the Dream”
His second album might get us through the end of the year
Words By: Sarah Aurora
It’s no secret that TikTok is riddled with unbelievable musical talent. One genre that seems to be taking over our For You Pages is one that artist, Ethan Jewell, refers to as “musical poetry.” The 18 year old artist has taken the concept and ran with it, giving us some amazing songs and an even more amazing new album — making him our next TikTok Tuesday feature.
Ethan Jewell first started posting on the app in September of 2019, but his followers didn’t start pouring in until he posted his cover of Hobo Johnson’s “Creve Coeur 1.” Originally posted on the platform in December of 2019, this stripped back version of the HoBo’s track presents with a softer, more conversational feel — becoming an instant viral hit amassing over 2.6 million views to date.
@jewellboicreve coeur 1 by hobo johnson but calm:) (go check out my album/merch on ethanjewell.com!) ##fyp ##foryou ##CozyLittleChristmas ##HolidayBeat ##foryoupage♬ check out Ethan Jewell on spotify – Ethan Jewell
The Dallas teen cites Hobo Johnson as one of his main influences, which makes this cover a fitting introduction to Ethan’s style. Frank Lopes Jr., known professionally as Hobo Johnson, was among the first artists to begin popularizing this growing genre. When he released “Peach Scone” in 2018, it was a tad controversial but it had people talking. Because of this, spoken word is beginning to take form as a prevalent music genre.
The cover of “Creve Coeur 1″ — which tackles mental illness as a theme — served as a great introduction as to who Ethan is as a writer. A good majority of his tracks seem to revolve around mental health, so much so that he addresses it on his website. In the about section of the site he writes, “The idea of ‘feeling your feelings’ has always been so important to me. We tend to push down our ‘bad’ feelings in order to appear happy. However, ‘bad feelings’ simply don’t exist. They’re just feelings. And I hope my music will help people feel these feelings, and understand that it’s normal.”
After the release of a few singles, Ethan finally dropped his long awaited studio album, Living the Dream this year. An instant track favorite, “Breathe Again,” is a light, poetic beacon of relief. This incredibly powerful ballad relies solely on a few simple piano chords to put a heavy focus on the words he speaks. While the song is short, it’s effective in its lyricism — “And I’ll keep on pushing, keep on fighting/Spread the dark away with lighting/I’ll make my own path from the dirt/Fight my demons right where they lurked/Because I can breathe again.”
At just 18, Ethan Jewell has branded himself as a musical poet. His lyrics are heartfelt, raw, and articulate. With viral singles, a stellar album, breathtaking music videos and a growing following on TikTok, it’s clear his career isn’t slowing anytime soon.
