Rory Sturgeon – “Hope You’ll Be Mine”
Rory Sturgeon’s talent is evident on the mid-tempo pop track “Hope You’ll Be Mine”. Backed by resonant piano and a steady drumbeat, Sturgeon sings with deep melodic croon: “I hope you’ll be mine and one day we’ll find each other again. Maybe we can be friends, now that we are not lovers.” The understated emotion of the song feels authentic and real, as the 19-year-old singer-songwriter unfolds his easy-on-the-ear narrative. Based in Kent, England, Sturgeon has played the piano since he was eight. Using Pro-Tools, he has taught himself to write and produce all his music by himself.
The intimacy evoked in “Hope You’ll Be Mine”, is smartly deployed outwardly, in Sturgeon’s performance. The internal territory, from which his emotions arise throughout this song, is a commodity that is instantly attractive to the listener. In fact, the song has a meaning that anyone could connect to. It takes listeners on a bittersweet and melancholic journey that addresses the highs and lows of love. Regardless of the theme, the song has a catchy pop beat that will easily get stuck in your head.
The song is wrapped up in its own seductive gauze. The piano on “Hope You’ll Be Mine” is simple, yet so full of emotion and groove, which really draws you into the lyrics, along with Rory Sturgeon’s irresistible voice, of course. Sturgeon’s attention to detail with songwriting leads to a beautifully written, nuanced song. He shows the self-awareness of a man twice his age, and an artist with at least a decade of recording experience.
No doubt, Rory Sturgeon’s aspired success will not be premised purely on his songwriting ability, but also his knack for dealing with universal themes in thoroughly down to earth ways, and without the layering of pop cheese that so many of his contemporaries indulge in.
There may be a million records bouncier than “Hope You’ll Be Mine”, maybe hundreds more, emotionally impacting, and a fair number musically more fleshed out, with bigger production sounds, but Rory Sturgeon’s latest single holds its weight not in forced hype, but in its simplicity, honesty, and ultimate optimism. This renders it a record powerful enough to captivate audiences.
As a pianist Rory Sturgeon more than knows his way around, as the melodic motifs on “Hope You’ll Be Mine” will demonstrate to any doubter. One of the reasons this track will stand the test of time is the way its piano licks are instantly lovable but at the same time devilishly hidden.
The musical backdrop is mixed perfectly so that “Hope You’ll Be Mine” never becomes a barrage of noise or overwhelming to relaxed senses, but also maintains its soulful vibe in a realistic manner. Sturgeon’s succinct, personal writing style is pivotal to the success of this track.
There is not a single moment when Rory Sturgeon threatens cliché in his songwriting and performance. His sincerity and absence of melodrama bolt the ideas for this song to the floor, alongside the straightforward and catchy intricacy of his piano lines.
Moreover, Sturgeon is a deceptively talented lyricist, in that he says precisely what he means to without pretense or being cryptic, while simultaneously avoiding fluff – not an easy thing to do for a young songwriter. Make no mistake, Rory Sturgeon is damn good at what he does!
