Ruben, Dear God Review

Ruben hails from the small Norwegian village of Bjarkøy. His love of music started early as he discovered singing as a choir kid through childhood. His real experience with the sounds he loves came by way of hours spent online watching and listening to music, but most of all, studying what he was hearing. At 14, he started making pop music, but it would take eight years of toiling at his craft for him to write the lyrics for the track that would make him, “Walls.” Ruben has earned 200 million+ streams and a Norwegian Grammy for “Song of the Year.” His lyrics are introspective and a product of much thought. Ruben conveys that he is “starting to realize that I should be doing what I’ve always done. It could never be wrong if it came from my core. It’s saved me. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on why I am the way I am and how I can be a better person.” Ruben is now releasing his new single “Dear God.”

Bottom Line:  The Norwegian singer is releasing “Dear God,” a pop melody taken from his upcoming EP, which also features the dramatic widescreen ballad “Burn Down This Room” and will be out in its entirety in 2021. Ruben’s lyrics are well-constructed and have meaning. The music is created by Lars Rosness and Kristoffer Haugan with mixing by Andreas Eide Larsen and mastering by Morgan Nicolaysen.  Through his lyrics, Ruben builds a sense of community with the listener through shared experiences. His vocal timbre is full and has solid projection throughout his range. With pop and electro-pop elements, the music manages to include the well-known aspects of those sounds without falling into the overused cliches of the genre. The chorus is catchy, and the bridge relaxes the feel to hit the final hooks with energy and emotion. Overall, Ruben has a smooth sound with poignant lyrics. “Dear God” is a cool single and builds the anticipation for his upcoming EP. That’s the short of it!