The indie-pop newcomers get real on their latest track

When I first listened to Real World, I thought I’d put my headphones in and been teleported back to the late 90s. Never have I heard a song that has lent itself so easily to the style of a different time, and done such a brilliant job of it. This indie-pop track has all the classic features of a song of that time, led by an exceptional guitar presence. 1997 Natalie Imbruglia called and she wants her style back, thanks. 

Grounded by a fairly simple but catchy loop, the single isn’t particularly up-tempo, but it certainly is upbeat. The song structure sticks to the timeless verse, pre-chorus, chorus pattern, with a brief acoustic break before the final crescendo into the final chorus. By far, the standout instrument in this track’s musicality is the guitar: the crisp, rhythmic acoustic guitar across the choruses and the clean, bright electric guitar solo that precedes the stripped pre-chorus. That said, the lead vocals are strong and vibrant, and she does a masterful job of keeping the first chorus in her lower register to then belting out the higher octave as the song builds. And if the feel-good vibe from the music wasn’t enough to convince you, then the lyrics definitely will. 

The song itself highlights and celebrates all the different people we can be, and encourages listeners to accept and embrace their individualities. From a “perfect daughter” to a “rolling stone”, Wynona remind us that everyone has a place in the “real world”, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. By far, my favourite lyric of this track is “I’m just a hopeful cynic” because, at the end of the day, who isn’t? 

If you’re in need of an uplifting song to blast or a new acoustic song to learn, get listening to this. Are Wynona’s visit to styles of music past a sign of forward-thinking? Who can say? What I will say, is that this is a phenomenal example of indie-pop built on an acoustic foundation, and I’m excited to see what else the duo have in store for us. 

Wynona is made up of partners Natalie and Rich, who currently reside in the UK after a return from their life in Japan.