Music is a universal medium and one of the things that often helps it to find and resonate with an audience is that element of relatability. We’ve all had our heartbroken. We’ve all wanted to let go of our troubles for a night of carefree fun. A lot of the time, this is what leads artists and songs to resonate with us.
Hip hop might be unique in that regard. It is, arguably, at its best when presented from the artist’s very specific and unique perspective on the world and their life. On Us., Winnie Churchill presents himself as both subject and creator of his music and he shares this with us on his appropriately titled release.
Us. is the follow-up to Churchill’s 2018 album i and finds the Toronto-born talent swiftly and smoothly delivering us a vulnerable and largely intimate invitation into his life and mind. The Newfoundland-based, self-described “multi-disciplinary creative,” flexes an array of artistic ability through Us,, demonstrating a strong background as a dancer, writer, singer-songwriter, and composer.
There’s a degree of emotional intelligence and empathy that is highlighted on tracks like “14 Days & Counting”, “He Knows Evil’ and “A Weak Man”. “14 Days,” for instance, finds Winnie backed solely by piano, as he ponders and reflects on the pandemic. It’s a simple, straightforward, honest, and heartfelt expression of one man’s stance on a global situation.
The album intro, “He Knows Evil,” is an undeniable highlight with minimal yet perfect musical backing, allowing Winnie to let his lyrics take center stage. He brilliantly encapsulates a fractured relationship as he explains, “Fell in love with a language I can’t speak, she fell in love with a man I just can’t be.” He manages to nail a poignant note about communication and expectations in relationships in a supremely poetic manner.
The musical accompaniment on Us. serves the lyrical contents laid back and introspective atmosphere, typically by featuring guitar strings and mid to lower tempo beats. Churchill achieves a more fleshed-out musical sound than is generally expected of the genre though he also showcases a more “old school” ’90s rap vibe when he switches things up briefly on “Dumb High.”
Winnie Churchill is engaging, thoughtful, and clever. On Us. he expresses his thoughts unguarded, free from posturing, and gives a very personal tour of his world. He does what any good musician should and tells us stories, shares snippets of his life – spanning everything from relationship reflections, global issues, gender dynamics to his high school experiences, and more – in only seven songs.