As a fan of Blake Rose since I heard “Lady” and “Lost,” his newest single, “Confidence,” is nothing short of exhilarating. “Confidence” is very much on-brand for Rose: similar to his other songs, yet bringing its own newness. Accompanied by a guitar, “Confidence” exudes a slow, sad, yet uplifting vibe. On Instagram, Rose wrote: “It’s about lacking the self-esteem to realize that you can do better than the current situation you’re in romantically.”
Rose’s beautiful and emotional vocals come through as he despairs the lack of confidence and state of the relationship. Yet, even with the negatives, Rose illustrates that there is eventually light as you become aware and are strong enough to live.
“Confidence” allows anyone to relate to it. Whether you’ve been in that situation or seen someone else, it is all something we can connect to. I love how while it’s heartbreaking, as in most of Rose’s songs, it also shows the positive, which is incredibly important. Life is a rollercoaster (you’re “running on rollerblades”). It is so easy to get lost in all the downs and missed opportunities, but it’s equally important to see the growth and the beauty of life.
Rose or another person could have looked at the situation and beaten oneself up about lacking the confidence to leave sooner, but that’s not important. It’s the fact that you had the strength, in the end, to be aware and leave.
“Confidence” starts strong: Rose’s mesmerizing vocals fill the air, capturing my attention and drawing me in. Throughout the song, harmonies and echoes add more dimensions to Rose’s vocals. They are another layer to get lost in that gives strength to Rose’s lyrics and the story.
Rose also includes the addition of a female voice asking: “You know I love you right?” Its echo-ey vibes and inclusion were extremely unexpected but fit the style and story of the song. It draws you in similar to how people are manipulated to stay in toxic relationships.
I loved the simplicity of “Confidence”: mainly Rose’s vocals and an accompanying guitar. I was able to focus and appreciate the complexity and beautiful images present in Rose’s lyrics: laying in a car park, a boat sailing away, and more.
Blake Rose is a singer-songwriter from Perth, Australia. In 2018, Rose released his first single, “Hotel Room." The following year, he released his fifth and most popular single, “Lost,” which was quickly added to Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist. Following the success of his singles, Rose released his first EP, A World Gone By, in fall 2021. Rose opened for Noah Kahan’s most recent tour and is currently touring as an opener for Ashe.
Written by Anne Friedman
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