2020 has been a pretty messed up year for so many people. With a global pandemic sweeping the Earth, most people have found themselves trapped in their homes, both worrying about their health and looking at their wall calendars to see exciting plans going up in smoke with travel restrictions. It’s a time when people have come together to try and come up with ways of keeping spirits up and for keeping people positive. On line challenges, Zoom quizzes, and music live streams have become a key part of people’s weekly plans to pass the time, and along with these artist have stepped up to produce some truly fantastic music at the moment.

An example of one of these artists who has picked this uncertain time to take the first steps into releasing music is gifted Tipperary songwriter and performer Andrew Smyth, known by his performer name Smythy. The Dublin-based primary school teacher has been a prominent figure in both music and theatre for a number of years now, including a starring role in the stage production of Big Shot, which even saw performances on stages in New York in the past.

It seemed only to be a matter of time before the talented artist would make the step into solo music, and earlier this year he would release his debut single, When It Happens. This is such a great song.

At time when everything feels so heavy and serious, a song like this is exactly what people need at the moment. Upbeat, positive, and with a summery vibe, it wrestles it’s way into your head and stays there long after the first listen.

The instrumentation is fun and engaging, as the song is lead by an upbeat and jolty guitar riff and interesting drum beat. This approach to creating the soundscape of the song has meant that mood at the heart of the song is supported by the instrumentation.

Across the song, Smythy makes the listener think about the randomness of life and how often inconsequential events in our everyday lives can often have long term effects. The track asks people to think more seriously about the different things that we go through, and there is a real sense that the artist is trying to encourage people to live life in the moment and be aware of what is happening. It is a message that seems important given the times we are living in, when days can seem to merge into one another and all of us are looking to the future for a time when life can return to normal and things can start to happen again. Smythy argues that at every moment things are happening, make sure to take note of them.

“How often do you ever really know when it happens?”

More of this please, sir.

MK