Indie-pop artist and effervescent rising star Blanks has revealed his highly-anticipated debut album Nothing Lasts Forever And That’s OK.
Across ten tracks, Blanks draws inspiration from the bittersweet nostalgia of his past, like meeting his first love and unforgettable summers spent with friends. The pop maverick intricately weaves vulnerable storytelling amidst an endless spectrum of moods and sonic influences. From the synth-driven riffs of the 80’s, to the sounds of popular music from Blanks’ youth, ‘Nothing Lasts Forever And That’s OK’, will instantly transport you to another time and place.
The first half of the album, comprising the project’s five official singles, sees Blanks unfurling a classic tale of summertime love. From its feverish beginnings on high-energy bops like “What You Do To Me” and “Classic Armstrong”, to the moment it all comes crashing down on the sombre piano-driven ballad, “I’m Sorry”. To bring the story to life, Blanks also rolled out a five part visual series that channels the much loved nostalgia of teen movie clichés.
In the latter half of the record, Blanks reminisces on the summer gone by with an underlying sense of melancholy. Though the memories will always remain, he realizes that all experiences are truly once in a lifetime. The track “Dance Like This” accurately illustrates this feeling.
“The instrumental builds on the notion of time that seems to keep unconditionally going (clock sound), while the lyrics explain the concept of realizing from the bottom of your heart it’s about to be over”, says Blanks.
It’s a feeling that Blanks knows all too well after losing his best friend at a young age. With a fervent approach to making music, Blanks hopes to encourage his listeners to cherish every experience and make the most of their time on earth.
On the creation of the album,
“I came up with the concept of the album: Nothing Lasts Forever And That’s OK, a title based on the Portuguese word ‘saudade,’ which describes “an emotional state of nostalgic melancholic longing for something or someone that one cares about, knowing the object of longing might never be had again,” as Wikipedia puts it!”. He continues, “I have so many memories that I’ll never forget (summer nights with friends, going to Paris with a loved one, people you meet over summer, get really close with and then never see again) that I wish I could relive and feel exactly the same, but I can’t. So when I learned about ‘saudade’, I related to the feeling immediately”.
Also read: We interviewed multi-talented indie pop artist and YouTube star Blanks.
Having spent the last few years releasing a steady stream of songs, as well as being a hugely popular music production content creator, Blanks knew it was time for his next challenge. Writing for ‘Nothing Lasts Forever And That’s OK’, began during the height of the pandemic, with many production sessions taking place over Zoom, often from remote and inspiring locations, like the Maldives or a cabin in the depths of the woods.
As Executive Producer and a seasoned multi-instrumentalist, Blanks wrote, composed and produced much of the album himself, whilst enlisting the assistance of others on “Turn Around”, “Never Have I Ever”, and “I’m Sorry”. With creative energy abound, Blanks was able to explore new ideas and showcase the breadth of his immense music talents. Looking back on the process, he shares “I guess it was a combination of Scandinavian music magic, Maldives good vibes and excitement.”
Blanks’ recent singles have garnered praise from international outlets, along with support across Asia from notable publications such as Billboard Indonesia, Rank Magazine, and AsiaLive365.
Cover photo: Jantina Talsma
