midwxst knows “when it rains it pours,” especially regarding love and lust. “pretty girls” (July 7) are the reason why the genre-bending phenom feels love-torn, kicking off the rollout for his debut album, E3, on a high note.
Fresh off recent efforts like CITYISLAND’s “witmygang,” “clair” with UK sensation skaiwater, “223s” with LL fan-favorite BabyTron and “Tally” featuring the prolific Denzel Curry, it’s evident midwxst has come a long way since the SUMMER03 and BACK IN ACTION eras. “pretty girls” sees Edgar dive deeper into his patented mixed bag of pop and hip-hop. It’s palatable for all audiences — expertly toeing the line between a handful genres on the emotionally-crooned cut.
Heavy rock guitars melt in between midwxst’s sultry hook: “I’m stuck on all the love you gave me / pretty girls will drive you crazy.” Blending sounds is his forte, and “pretty girls” is the culmination of peak music and petty heartbreak — a sweet spot for the emo-rap adjacent star. The intimately shot, saturated visual sees Edgar hang around a color-changing forest with a slew of beautiful women in his sights. It’s a melodic ode to feeling everything all at once, letting your emotions wash over you like pouring rain.
I spoke with midwxst about the anthemic single, and the narrative encapsulating E3 dropping later this year. “This album rollout has been in my head since I was 17. I have a full notepad in my phone with the script for the interludes on the project and the ideas that eventually became E3,” he explained. “‘Pretty Girls’ is the first look into the world of E3 by bringing flaws humans look past, while being in love, to the forefront of the conversation. That’s established across the entire body of work. The album is an emotional journey through the mistakes I’ve made as a person and that E3, the protagonist of the story, is constantly facing and having to finally come to terms with.”
There’s many reasons why midwxst has become as successful as he has at just 20 years old. One sticks out amongst the rest though: He’s remained unapologetically authentic throughout his career. Building a loyal fanbase on consistency and intention, midwxst is unwavering in both sound and self — clad with “pretty girls” surrounding him as E3 quickly approaches.
Sink into more sounds from midwxst: “daylily,” “all my friends hate me,” better luck next time, BIA 3.o
Check out “pretty girls” below!