Up-and-coming pop rock act Jerm crafts catchy hooks in his new single “Not Afraid.”
Jerm’s new track hails from the depths of his bedroom “when his roommate is trying to sleep,” although his sound is far from sounding DIY. This self-produced and co-written song relies on the “nostalgic blend of 2000s pop punk and ‘90s alternative rock,” emulating great names in the scene that have come before him, such as State Champs, Weezer, or Sitting on Stacy.
Jerm specifically plays with drum fills and pop punk guitars to bring out the essence of the genre, but actually brings out the nostalgia in diverging harmonies and major notes to keep the high-energy from the genre. The song includes vocal “heys” and “ohs” that resemble the cheerfulness in tracks often overlaid in 2000s television shows.
The title of the song defines its meaning. “Not Afraid” recounts Jerm’s search for self-confidence and security in his overall state of mind. In the first verse, Jerm sings, “I wrote the book on anxiousness / Taking control of what comes next.” He longs for feelings of security, but knows he must confront his fears, singing, “There’s no reward without risk.”
In the chorus, where Jerm sings, “but I’m not afraid,” the singer repeats the idea to himself to convince himself that he can face his fears.
By the second verse, Jerm proactively confronts his fears. He places himself in a setting that imagines his spectators in vulnerable positions to uplift his own self-image, playing on the idea of “imagining the audience is in their underwear.” He tells himself, “I’m on the stage looking amazing.”
He offers himself closure to defeat his “daily challenge” in the bridge, saying “I know I’ll win.”
Jerm’s new single “Not Afraid” relies on the essence of 2000s pop punk to deliver head-banging hooks with introspective lyrics. Check out the new single now.
FOLLOW JERM: Spotify // Instagram // SoundCloud // Facebook // TikTok
