There’s a lot of emotion charged into the end of a relationship, even when it’s a bad one. This may be because so much of our identity is found in our partners, so moving on changes our life drastically. We have to find our way in a world that’s different from what we once had. This concept of a relationship falling apart is captured succinctly in ‘Love Doesn’t Need Me,’ debut track by new artist Stefan Dando.
‘Love Doesn’t Need Me’ is catchy melodically and offers up a great chill sad vibe. The beat and piano-based instrumentation smoothly captures you into its cushiony sound. The vocals in this have this beautiful soft and somber sound, even through the more belted bits. The piano instrumentation is dynamic and tells a story through its dynamics. The percussion has a nice simplicity to it, and the vocal harmonies add a lot to the pretty tone of the track. On top of all of that, the chorus is a catchy earworm that will stay with you for a long time to come. This is one of those songs that are so gorgeous you can’t help but get lost in it. With the production and musicianship, you wouldn’t be able to tell this is a debut.
Stefan Dando himself states that ‘Love Doesn’t Need Me’ “is about the turmoil I felt after ending a bad relationship and wanting to reconcile but knowing it’s not the right thing to do.” This idea is directly captured in the title, which is also the main hook, of this track. There’s a lot to explore in the verses of this track, and this breakup is captured in an emotional and poetic way. In the lyrics, it mentions breaking things off before the voice of the song snaps. This preludes to the idea that the toxicity in the relationship comes from oneself opening up into traumas and difficulties they face. This is something that can create fear and tension, driving a relationship apart before there’s a chance for that pain to show.
Stefan Dando is a brand new musical artist who’s here to share his emotions and experiences in hopes that others can connect with and find solace in what he creates. He cites some of his influences as Panic! At the Disco, Fleetwood Mac, and City and Colour, and he has more than enough vocal emotion to pack into his music. ‘Love Doesn’t Need Me’ is a wonderful debut, and it won’t fail to leave you ecstatic to hear what’s next.
Written by Sage Plapp
