Hitting that moment in a relationship when one of the people realize the other half is not as committed as they are is certainly a devastating point. However, when you add on the fact that they are still in love with their ex to the mix, you end up with a situation where the sentiments of isolation and unrequited feelings bubble up to the brink and certainly make the first person feel like they’re third-wheeling in their own relationship. That’s exactly what rising star Zoe Wees’ new single is about.
In the good old pop/punk fashion, the effervescent new track “Third Wheel” has all the teenage angst of hitting a certain wall in a relationship balanced with really witty songwriting that shows the emotional maturity of the up-and-comer. Additionally, the soaring guitars and tight drum lines create a very delineated contrast with Wees’ unbelievably powerful voice that has an incredibly wide range. As the song grows, the 20-year-old singer/songwriter effortlessly adapts to the changes in emotion until the climax of the song comes along and she lets all that force explode in such a controlled manner it blows your mind.
Speaking about the song, Zoe mentions, “It’s so awkwardly heartbreaking to be the third wheel in any relationship. Although this song’s meaning comes from a really tough moment in my own life, I hope this song will make some people reminisce about their own similar experiences as times when they learned to grow.” Although the lyricism and the feelings expressed in the song are quite sad and introspective, the song is infectiously upbeat and has a very brightly crafted anthemic chorus where her stunningly unique voice shines through as she sings, “When I’m with you I’m the third wheel / It’s the worst deal, I / And I’m feeling kind of lonely / When you ride I die.”
Produced by Patrick Pike Salmy and Ricardo Muñoz, who have been working with Wees’ since her debut album “Golden Wings” which included hit song “Control,” the track comes alongside a cinematic and equally as powerful video directed by Gabriella Kingsley (Fireboy DML x Ed Sheeran, ArrDee x Aitch).
With more songs (hopefully) to come in the near future, we are really excited to see the twist and turns Zoe is ready to take in order to give fans different faces of her art while still sculpting every track in such a delicate way that fans can recognize her songwriting and raging vocals anywhere. As it’s already been cemented, she’s one of the young stars that will achieve huge things in their career and we can only sit tight and tag along for the ride as she rises.