In 2022, Em Beihold dropped the mental health anthem “Numb Little Bug,” which was as catchy as it was inescapable. Everyone could not get enough of the track’s likeable pop melodies and honest but relatable lyrics, sending “Numb Little Bug” into Platinum status and into the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Later that year, she released a duet version of Stephen Sanchez’s “Until I Found You,” which reached over 1B streams. The release of two huge tracks in the span of a year is a lot to process for one artist. It can take a toll on one’s self-esteem, creativity, and overall mental health. But there was one song that broke Em out of her depression, and that song is her new single “Brutus.”
On “Brutus,” Em wrestles with envy and jealousy. While the music maintains quaint melodies and charming vocals, much like “Numb Little Bug,” the lyrics are more on the spiteful side. Em sings, “I wish that I could say that I’m not the jealous type / But you’re Cesar and I’m Brutus, minus that part with the knife,” and claims, “Wishing you the worst has never really worked.” In the end, she declares, “If I’m speaking honestly, I wish I had your life,” embodying the “if you can’t beat them, join them” concept.
About “Brutus,” Em explains,
“Writing ‘Brutus’ really helped me see the light from a deep, dark hole I didn’t know how to get out of. After ‘Numb Little Bug,’ I was lost, burnt out, experiencing heavy writer’s block, and dealing with a case of self-comparison so constant that it almost felt chronic. In the depths of my depression, I couldn’t help but crave the lives of some other female artists who had everything going for them with constant creative output and growing fanbases. ‘Brutus’ was the first song that released me from this place of stuckness where I finally felt a piece of myself come back. Ultimately, comparison is just a mirror for the things we feel deficiencies in, and I’ve started to look at jealousy more as a way to gain data about the things I really want rather than a feeling of bitterness that tears me down.”
You can listen to “Brutus” here.
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