46. sombr is three for three
After evolving his production to something more rich, sombr has had a great single run.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by sombr this year. After evolving his production into something richer and more ambitious, he’s quietly put together one of the strongest single runs this year. Three releases in, it feels like he’s found the version of his sound that his songwriting has deserved.
Considering he’s only twenty, I’ve always found sombr’s writing impressive. His songs are marked by a refreshing candor and hyper-specific imagery that makes even familiar relationship stories feel lived-in. He has a knack for dropping in one vivid scene or brutally honest lyric that instantly grounds a song emotionally. Ironically, the songwriting was never my issue.
My biggest gripe with sombr’s earlier music was the production. Too many songs relied on plain, lo-fi instrumentals that rarely built toward anything dynamic. The echo-drenched vocals and faux-vintage processing often felt more distracting than atmospheric, trapping his music in an overly familiar “sad boy indie” aesthetic. The writing hinted at something more distinctive, but the sonics rarely met it.
What’s made this recent run so exciting is that sombr seems to have recognized that himself. Working closely on the production alongside collaborators, he’s begun shaping a much more confident identity, one that actually complements his songwriting instead of burying it.
My opinion really changed when he released “12 to 12.” The textured disco and funk influences immediately gave the production more personality than anything he’d previously released. The song felt bigger, more colorful, and much more intentional. Judging by the overwhelmingly positive response, it seems he took that lesson forward.
Every single since has embraced a more arena-ready approach, with upgraded production that feels built for the larger venues he’s now headlining. February’s “Homewrecker” was the first sign this wasn’t a fluke.
On paper, it’s another song about wanting someone who’s already in a relationship, but sombr gives the familiar premise an unexpectedly playful angle. Rather than leaning into guilt or vindictiveness, he’s simply captivated by someone and wants to enjoy the moments they share together, fully aware that the situation is messy. That subtle self-awareness keeps the song from feeling self-serious.
Musically, everything sounds sharper. The drums hit harder than on his previous work, the chorus has immediate replay value, and the brighter sonic palette lets his vocals breathe. His singing feels fuller and more controlled, moving beyond some of the strained belts that occasionally held back earlier releases. The songwriting remains the centerpiece: “We sit on the fire escape / We talk and talk ‘til dawn / I open up to you about my wrongs / Then we lay and contemplate.” It’s a cinematic image that feels effortless rather than overwritten.
Then came April’s “Potential,” which might be the catchiest song of the bunch. The vocoded vocal layering on the repeated refrain, “had potential, it makes me mental,” is instantly infectious. The ornate vocal production adds detail without becoming excessive, while the revving guitar gives the song an almost glam rock energy. It’s effortlessly groovy.
The song also delivers one of sombr’s funniest lines: “It was a difficult breakup, but I wrote some songs that got me famous.” It’s sharp, and just biting enough to land.
June’s “My Body Isn’t Ready” is where the run reaches a new angle. Instead of another complicated relationship story, sombr turns inward. Built around live piano and lush vocal layering, especially those swelling “oohs” in the chorus, the production feels warmer and more expansive than past cuts on I Barely Know Her.
The chorus carries a particularly compelling double meaning: “I like you but my body isn’t ready / I want to but the mirror won’t let me.” Taken literally, it’s a vulnerable admission about body image, something that has unfortunately become part of the conversation surrounding sombr as his profile has grown. As someone who’s constantly had his height and thin frame commented on, the lyric captures the quiet pain of feeling disconnected from your own appearance. It’s an unusually honest topic for a male pop artist in his early twenties, especially one whose career is accelerating this quickly. But the lyrics also work metaphorically.
The “mirror” becomes every insecurity that convinces you you’re fundamentally not enough. It speaks to imposter syndrome, low self-esteem, and the feeling that someone else’s affection can’t possibly be genuine because you haven’t learned to value yourself first. It’s the kind of lyric that opens itself to multiple interpretations without sacrificing specificity. That’s become sombr’s greatest strength.
As he prepares for his first headlining arena tour, these three singles suggest an artist who’s actively improving instead of simply capitalizing on momentum. The songwriting has always been there. Now the production finally feels equally considered, giving the songs the scale they’ve been asking for.
Whether these tracks are leading toward a new album or simply stand-alone releases remains unclear. If they are the foundation of a larger project, it’s difficult not to be excited about where he’s headed.
More than anything, this run feels promising because sombr still has so much room to grow. At just twenty years old, he already seems invested in refining his craft rather than settling into a formula that works.
That willingness to evolve also makes him stand out among many of his contemporaries. Benson Boone possesses a phenomenal voice and undeniable stage presence, but his music often leans too theatrical and rarely makes the most interesting use of his talent. Alex Warren has delivered TikTok-ready songwriting, yet its awful and sanitized, often drifting into the kind of polished earnestness that leans into youth-pastor territory. sombr, by contrast, feels curious. These three singles don’t just show an artist getting bigger- they show one getting better. And that’s a much more exciting trajectory.
-Ray