Most people know what it’s like to feel misused. And some of us feel the pain especially hard when the culprit is our own self. Joe Flowers feels the latter all too well, and in his latest single, “Misused”, which we are premiering today on Vanyaland, the rising London R&B singer with the captivating and commanding voice takes his a long hard look inward towards his true self.
“Lyrically, I think the song touches on different types of mental and emotional unrest, and how we sometimes misinterpret our own feelings,” Flowers tells Vanyaland. “It’s a reflection on how tempestuous things can be inside our own heads. Musically, the song draws a little from Sinatra in the verses. His album In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning has been hugely influential and I think some of that influence has bled into this song. But it’s fundamentally an R&B song, so acts like NAO and Gallant also played a big part in influencing the song.”
As evidenced, “Misused” is the latest in the ever-evolving facelift of modern R&B, taking cues from Frank Ocean and the Weeknd but adjusting the lens though an alt-pop filter. Flashes of electronic-pop production cascade throughout the track as Flowers croons in his distinctive style. That production is crafted from the mind and technique of fellow Londoner Bedlam.
“Bedlam definitely helps anchor the R&B vibe,” Flowers adds. “He’s great at keeping verses light and interesting and then transitioning into big almost orchestral choruses. In this song you can hear piano and guitar parts which adds a cool analog element within all of the electronic stuff.”
Grab “Misused” via iTunes, stream it on Spotify, and bump it forever via the Soundcloud embed below.