There are certain lyrics that are so catchy and intentional that when you hear them, you can truly do nothing other than smile. In my opinion, these are the best songs, since it doesn’t matter what mood you’re in; as long as the song comes on, you know it’ll lift your spirits. A song right now that perfectly encapsulates this narrative is by an artist named Felix Ames who I am overly stoked on. If you’ve even spent a moment on tiktok in the last month, then odds are, you’ve probably heard the lyrics: “I can’t find my way now way now…uh…looking for a way out way out”…Paired with the groovy production, you are left with none other than the hit song, “Shoestring”; an offering that has been steadily taking over airways all over.
Although it’s been mostly discovered on tiktok, “Shoestring” is not a fad or a mere moment, but rather a real song with an entirely real artist behind it. Felix Ames is a Milwaukee native who now finds himself settled in LA as he chases success in the music industry; something that seems to be utterly inevitable. I had the opportunity to chat with Felix about what went into the process of creating such a standout track and he explained that this song was nothing but a testament to the immense creativity and deep intentionality that him and his producer Calvin operated with. Felix explained,
“We just started cooking up and a lot of it was just exploring and figuring out what the sound was…how were we going to make something that sounds new, ya know? Because, the way I gauge music is, if I don’t want to tour the music and perform it every night for months, then I shouldn’t be putting it out. So we started treating sessions like Jam Sessions. The homie who plays guitar, Lucas, he would slide through and we would just jam out…like D’Angelo would do it. We just really want to do music justice. A lot of people can make music and release it but not as many people can take timeless music, take inspiration from it and make it into something completely new.”
When listening to “Shoestring”, the spontaneous and exciting energy is very present, but like I said earlier, there is a certain intentionality within the verses and chorus that create a nostalgic ambience with a new school twist. It really is rare to find songs that bridge generational gaps, but somehow Felix has done so with ease and perfection. When asking him about the inspiration behind the song, the future star added,
“To be honest bro, in the last year and a half or so, I went through twenty years worth of hardship as far as family shit, finances and mental health, it put a lot of pressure on me to really choose this as a career again and get back to a place of stability; So it just gave me a raw sense of yearning when it came to the music I was making…I could’ve easily been saying blah blah blah the whole entire song, but you still feel it in my tone of voice and production; there is this yearning, but also this warmth at the same time, which is why I think people gravitate towards it.”
All by itself, this song is spectacular, but when you factor in the context and Felix’s mindset when approaching music, it makes you root for the entire artist project even more. There is a lot of music out there right now and although it makes for a saturated market, it allows us tastemakers to identify the art that is authentic and genuine; two words that easily describe “Shoestring”. If you haven’t heard the song already, make sure you tap in right away; If you have, then, keep listening! Felix Ames is definitely an artist to watch and I can’t wait to witness his growth and evolution!