Hometown: Lawton, Okla.
Pairs Well With: Cooking a late breakfast in your pjs on a Saturday afternoon
From a silly thematic intro to the song's cheeky and relatable lyrics, AYVIO's "Grow Up" is a charming, fully entertaining production. The theatrics here are enough to hook – but the song really reels it in. A jovial melody underlines a vulnerable song about grappling with the disheartening realities of chasing a "childlike" dream that's never quite in reach. AYVIO's bars are both cheerfully optimistic and apprehensive (which might be why it resonates so much with a 20-something lost kid like myself).
In the middle of the song there's an a capella, lunch-room-style music break that will have you bobbing your head and jigging as he reflects on the letdowns of pursuing his music career. "Left me feeling deflated / Quitting, I contemplated / Am I overrated? / Is my music outdated," he raps atop a classroom table. No, AYVIO – your music is far from overrated or outdated. If I could say one thing to AYVIO, I'd yell from my own table top, "Never grow up!"
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.