A quick listen of Sebastien Skubala’s latest release Things That You Said will underscore a singer influenced by a range of sounds, and his playlist of songs that “hit [him] like a bus” is no exception.
Last month, Sebastien Skubala treated audiences to searing lyricism and violin riffs with Things That You Said.
A sonic clapback to the Adelaide singer-songwriter’s past adversaries, the track is the second to be lifted from Skubala’s upcoming debut EP, and marks the arrival of a distinct kind of indie-pop star.
With its arpeggio string flairs and bouncy bassline, Things That You Said draws influence from a range of sounds, and Skubala acknowledges as much with a curated playlist of “songs that hit me like a bus.”
Spanning masterful lyricists to R&B crooners, Skubala sat down with Happy Mag for a run through of the five tracks that “stopped me in my tracks and overwhelmed me with emotion.”
Below, Skubala name-checks everyone from Eminem to The Weeknd and JVKE, each of whom have “heavily influenced my writing and my music taste and still blow me away every time I listen to them.”
Catch Skubala’s exclusive Happy Mag playlist, and keep an eye out for his third EP single Nothing Matters If I Say So (featuring Wavey Baby) due out soon. In the meantime, listen to Sebastien Skubala’s latest release Things That You Said below.
Golden Hour — JVKE
From the opening piano riff, I was hooked. Golden Hour is literally a cocktail of serotonin, dopamine and deep satisfaction. From a listener’s perspective, this track makes you miss a lover you’ve never had. From a songwriting perspective, it’s so clever.
JVKE uses subtle rhyming schemes that aren’t overly intrusive, with very clear vivid metaphors. I mean, she’s got glitter for skin, come on. JVKE’s clever merging of pop with classical piano inspired me to experiment with violin and other classical strings on my latest release Things That You Said. If you haven’t heard Golden Hour, go and listen to it right now.
Mind is a Prison — Alec Benjamin
Whilst he may sound like he’s 12 years old, Alec Benjamin is one of the most talented lyricists and songwriters of our modern age. In my opinion, Mind is a Prison (off his 2020 album Two Windows) is his magnum opus.
This song reminds me of raindrops falling down a window on a rainy day. Alec’s use of metaphors is eye-opening and it’s the first song I’ve ever discovered that so accurately describes experiences of mental illness.
Alec continues to inspire the storytelling in my lyrics, evoking imagery and giving me a clear picture of the story I want to tell in my mind. Take a deep dive into Alec Benjamin’s music and prepare to come up for air a changed person.
Lose Yourself — Eminem
This song needs no introduction. Everyone knows Eminem. Everyone knows the lyrics. Everyone knows that Lose Yourself is about reaching out and touching greatness. On a personal note, this song was Number One the day I was born, so it has even more significance for me.
Lose Yourself inspires me to keep going in spite of any odds I may face, mentally preparing me for any challenge, songwriting or otherwise. Next time you need to psych yourself up for something, try playing this song.
Faith — The Weeknd
Faith is a hidden gem in the beautiful album that is After Hours. Faith sounds especially incredible through high-performance headphones.
The Weeknd’s use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound inspired me to play around with samples like rain and sirens while diving into instrumental track creation for the first time. With a longer than average run time of 4:44, this song ends way too quickly.
Stan — Eminem ft. Dido
I am well aware I am adding another track here from Eminem. But if Rolling Stone magazine can put both Stan and Lose Yourself in their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time lists, then so can I.
Stan is a song I like to revisit every couple of months. Marshall has done a masterclass here. The bass hits, the lyrics hit, the song itself is a hit. The artist collaboration between vocalist Dido and rapper Eminem inspired me to dive into collaborating with rapper Wavey Baby on my upcoming track Nothing Matters If I Say So.
So that’s the list. If these songs don’t resonate with you, that’s fine. But if they do, hear more music that I jam with on my Spotify playlist POV You’re Sebastien Skubala.
