Stephan Folkes – Say It Like You Mean It (2025)
Unafraid to saunter through various realms of music, picking up pieces and daubing a sonic palette with numerous genres, singer-songwriter Stephan Folkes is difficult to categorise. Proving his innovation and experimental nature, the UK-based artist is quickly capturing the attention of the music industry with his fearlessness, originality and boundary-pushing artistry. His melodies might be fearless, but it’s not merely the sonic form that highlights Folkes’ determination. Facing significant hurdles in his past, including growing up as a special needs individual and a life-altering hospitalisation at age five, Folkes portrays resilience, courage and emotional authenticity, connecting with audiences near and far. Today, we take a listen to his single, ‘Say It Like You Mean It’.
One of the tracks from his 2025 album Hazard, ‘Say It Like You Mean It’ is an obscure arrangement of bold beats, sweeping synths, and twinkling percussion peeking from the side. On one hand, it’s a soothing and tranquil wave of music; on the other, there’s an odd intricacy and complexity in the single. You feel as if you are being pushed onto a glistening sonic river, but the piercing falsetto rocks the boat with both tumultuousness and intimate sincerity. It’s a bit of an ebb and flow; you’re not sure where you are, what you feel, and this uncertainty keeps you intrigued.
Melodically, ‘Say It Like You Mean It’ is.. well, it’s different. The swoosh of sound with the clipping falsetto have a lingering breeze of Prince, but even the comparison can’t ignore Folkes’ signature sound and style. Outstanding on its own, the song is intoxicating, but it is the message and lyricism that increase its profoundness. Folkes explains:
“’Say It Like You Mean It’ is a thought-provoking track about the lessons learned from pursuing unrecriprocated love… the song underscores the importance of valuing one’s time and energy, delivering a poignant message about self-worth.”
In the end, I’m unsure where ‘Say It Like You Mean It’ sits with me. It’s exciting and brims with uniqueness, but also offers a feeling of discomfort. While Folkes might not be on my playlist in the future, I highly recommend people take a listen and enjoy his originality and innovative mystique.
Find out more about Stephan Folkes on his X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, SoundCloud and Spotify.
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