I think all of us, at one stage or another, finds ourselves thinking back to past times in our lives. Times that, with the passing of time, seem so much easier or straightforward than the times we find ourselves in currently. It is certainly something that I have found myself doing in recent years. Having recently ticked into my 31st year, it has become increasingly clear that life is starting to move on, and the freedom and spontaneity of youth are slowly being replaced with a heightened sense of structure and responsibility. While this progression is both natural and inevitable, and in some senses exciting, it can still be hard not to think back to at point in your life when it felt like you had nothing but time…

It is this sentiment that is being explored in the new release by Limerick native, Kellie Lewis, entitled Flashback to 18.

The instrumentation on the track immediately surprises and entices the listener to engage with the song. The pulsing guitar riff, that is later joined by strong drumming and bass rhythms help to create a sense that this is going to be a song about reminiscing, but with an edge.

But it’s the lyrics and Lewis’s storytelling ability that really makes this track interesting, and something that will be relatable to many the listener. Lewis is taking time to compare her life now with how things were when she was younger, specifically the years from 18 to her mid 20s, and how it just seemed like an easier time.

The track opens with the performer singing about the sense of excitement that came with being 18 and moving towns to create your own “city of dreams”. She references the possibilities that come with such and move and being able to start a new life, and this is an experience that will be at the mind of many of us at that stage of our lives, before this sense of freedom gives way to adulting.

Another stunning step forward for the Limerick native.

MK