Debbii Dawson Drops New Single “Kool Aid”
On Friday, June 5th, Up and Coming singer-songwriter Debbii Dawson released her newest single “Kool Aid“. The Hutchinson, Minnesota native appeared on the 17th season of America’s Got Talent. She describes herself as a singer, songwriter and producer all together. Despite being eliminated in the wildcard round, America fell in love with her slowed-down version of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” on the guitar. And Dawson continues to impress. Her whimsical dance-pop energy transcends genres. It makes her unique yet relatable to all walks of life. Stylistically, many compare her to the likes of Dolly Parton and Sabrina Carpenter. And if you listen to her music, it’s not far fetched to say as such.
This song perfectly exemplifies Dawson’s sound. The new single may come off as a general love song metaphor, but in reality it’s much more. It has an 80’s indie-pop feel mixed with upbeat disco elements to create an almost enchanting sound. It grabs the audience and attacks their problems head on. Dawson describes herself as ‘weird’, but her music is more relatable than you’d think.
The song uses its dark imagery and mysterious vibe to convey the seductive pull of control, belonging, and blind devotion. The aesthetic is there for a reason; Dawson is showing us the dangers of temptation. Everything believes in something, but this track invites listeners to ask themselves what they truly believe in. Moreover, listeners are encouraged to ask themselves why? If not, it might be too late. You may already be sucked into something dangerous.
“Kool Aid” defined by Cult Energy
It’s catchy, it’s positive and it’s intriguing. Thematically, the song speaks about manipulation and devotion. Uncoincidentally, those ideas also serve as the inspiration for the tune. The song is about this hypnotic pull in which Dawson herself experienced during her time in a cult. The “drink the Kool-Aid” imagery perfectly explains this notion. The music video takes this to another level. It reinforces cult imagery by illustrating a creepy, theatrical late night gathering that invites mystery.
Dawson explained her inspiration for this song in a press release, “I used to be in a cult. It sounds like a unique ordeal, but this brief time in my life taught me that the experience of being influenced and controlled to your detriment is more common than you think. You might be in a similar situation yourself right now, but blissfully unaware. My song “Kool Aid” is about that feeling.” She also took to instagram to echo these same words a few weeks prior to the release.
Dawson’s new EP “Where Have All The Good Men Gone?” releases on Friday, June 26th. Don’t miss it!
Featured Image By: Adrien Brunat