KROWNS - 'Fake It'

‘Fake It’ is about hiding to protect yourself- which is ironic, as the catchiness and sheer brilliance of the track is sure to propel the band KROWNS into the spotlight. 

KROWNS are a trio from Canada based in Calgary, Alberta; brothers Kyle and Shade McKearney (Lead Singer and Bass, respectively) and drummer Adam Casey. Their aim, as musicians, is to ‘empower people through honesty’- to enable their fans to ‘conquer their individual oppressions.’ ‘Fake It’ is the follow-up to debut single ‘High While The World Ends’, a song about rising about that which you can’t control- trying to find a way to stay afloat even when it seems impossible. Both songs are as unique and interesting as they are powerful truths. KROWNS acts as a mouthpiece for Kyle to share his life and experiences growing up- the struggles of being raised in a broken home and the lies which came with it.

‘Fake It’ is drawn from one of these truths of lead singer Kyle McKearney’s life and his experiences growing up. ‘It’s about being a team in the wolf den’ Kyle McKearney explains, ‘hiding to protect yourself’- a meaning which can easily be applied to many facets of everyday life. Whether that’s hiding your true feelings and practicing your ‘perfect face in the mirror’ in order to tame your ‘hysteria’, standing and fighting in your ‘camouflage’ in an attempt to not feel ‘inferior’, or simply trying to survive in whatever ‘disguise’ you can- few people can be considered truly free in this day and age, a modern world ruled by superficiality. When everyone is defined by others’ opinions of them, and every choice of how we are presented is premeditated, whether by the choices in our appearance or our decisions on social media of choosing perfect photos, ‘Fake It’ reveals the simple fact, that it’s all fake: everyone is always hiding something.

The song opens with jarring ‘piano’ chords and an electronic mantra- ‘we fake it to make it’- before breaking into the song proper. This already sets the scene: the sounds of both the electronic keyboard and the programmable voice being themselves fake, merely artificial copies of the genuine articles. On top of these come the vocals, layered with an electronic harmonising underneath, which again reflect the idea of truth being hidden behind an artificial layer. The lyrics serve to build up the anger and the sense of betrayal felt by both the band and the listener, whilst remaining mellow enough to enable the chorus to flourish; forceful enough to belay the anger underneath, and soft enough to create a song which is both anthemic and addictive. Throughout, the song remains surprisingly upbeat; which is arguably in itself a statement on how our true feelings, such as anger, are often hidden behind overly-jovial façades. That’s not to say, however, that the song needs to be full of fury or thrash-metal screaming to make its point. By perfectly toeing the line between the inherent aggression of the lyricism and the catchy alt-pop sound of the song as a whole, Krowns are able to craft a song which is as refreshing as it is relatable; a song which you can quite happily listen to on repeat. 

Listen out for news on their debut EP ‘Fake It’, slated for release January 2019.

Words by James O’Sullivan