Today’s DJ Pick of the Week goes out to Arlo Parks’ newest single, “Green Eyes”. Arlo Parks is a London-based singer-songwriter with an indie R&B sound. Parks has blown up throughout 2020. She gained a lot of attention this year for her 2018 single “Cola” and 2019 EP, Super Sad Generation. Arlo Parks performed at Glastonbury in 2019 on the BBC Music Introducing stage. This year, she was labeled BBC‘s 2020 Introducing Artist of the Year, and she is now on the rise in both the UK and US. Now, Parks has announced that her debut album, Collapsed In Sunbeams, will be released in January 2021. From the upcoming album, her latest single, “Green Eyes”, is Dan’s DJ Pick of the Week!
20-year old Arlo Parks told NME that “Green Eyes” is “a song about self-discovery, self-acceptance and adolescence. It is supposed to uplift and comfort those going through hard times.” The warm guitar combined with Parks’ dreamy vocals captures that youthful energy perfectly. Indie artist Clairo also sings backing vocals and plays guitar. Their fresh voices blend beautifully together, particularly in the uplifting words of the chorus:
Some of these folks wanna make you cry
But you’ve gotta trust how you feel inside
And shine, and shine
Yeah (yeah, yeah)
When asked about her upcoming album, Parks shared, “It is a series of vignettes and intimate portraits surrounding my adolescence and the people that shaped it. It is rooted in storytelling and nostalgia – I want it to feel both universal and hyper specific.” Arlo Parks makes her youthful story feel relatable for young listeners, yet with a fresh voice and perspective.
Arlo Parks also speaks openly about her experience as a young, Black, bisexual woman in England. Her artist bio explains that she spent much of her younger years “feeling like that black kid who couldn’t dance for shit, listening to too much emo music and crushing on some girl in her Spanish class.” The lyrics in “Green Eyes” dive in quite vulnerable way into the judgement Parks often felt growing up as a result of her sexuality. Parks is able to turn that vulnerability into empowerment, creating a beautiful message about the pain, joy, and personal growth that comes with adolescence.
Check out the recently released music video for “Green Eyes” below!
Be sure to tune into 100.1 FM or lightning100.com to hear “Green Eyes” by Arlo Parks, featured as Dan’s DJ Pick of the Week. Let us know your thoughts! Tweet at us with #L100DJPick and share your take on the track!
