Written by: Emily Lutz
In a rather not lowkey way, Waterparks have released their newest single post-"Fandom" era, titled “Lowkey As Hell.” On September 17th, frontman Awsten Knight leaked the song on an Instagram live stream while cutting off all his green hair, symbolizing the end of the band's most recent chapter.
Roughly one week later, and the song has been released in full. Along with a new single, the band also joins the 300 Entertainment record label alongside artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Fetty Wap.
In reference to the new label, Knight says, “You don’t have to stick to one thing...By making moves like getting with 300 (an almost exclusively hip hop oriented label) and not forfeiting our guitars once we signed the deal, I think we’re actually taking steps to help rock.” He’s definitely right as the new track is currently climbing the pop charts.
While “Lowkey As Hell” is upbeat and poppy musically, the lyrics are anything but. The song dives into Knight’s brain over the last few months.
It starts out on the first chorus where he dives into his feelings with the lyrics, “I guess at least my work is working, right? / I think people like me better when I’m hurt inside”, alluding to how a large chunk of Waterparks' fans prefer their upsetting, heartbreak-centric songs rather than those that are more happy and uplifting. This leads into a reference to the 2019 single “Watch What Happens Next”, with the line “I like cool shirts, I like cold rings / I want a big house, but I’m hiding.”
The chorus then turns super soft and comforting, on the lyrics “If you need me now, I’ll be there somehow / I’ll pick you up, we can ride.” The chilled-out vibe doesn’t last long, though, when the second verse cuts in.
Knight refers back to the 2016 "Double Dare" cycle when he says, “Haven’t had a day off since my blue hair and I combat how the pressure feels”, reminiscing on the band's debut full-length when expectations were raised for them.
In just a short two minutes and sixteen seconds, "Lowkey as Hell" absolutely delivers with some fun, introspective lyrics. The label signing reminds us that the pop-punk scene, as well as the concept of genre in general, is ever-changing, and that artists definitely shouldn't allow it to limit them.
You can listen to Waterparks’ new single “Lowkey As Hell” anywhere you stream music, and you can keep up with them as they open up this new chapter by following them on Twitter @waterparks; you can support them by picking up some merch on their website. If you listened to the song and want to let us know what you thought of it, you can tweet us @lgndsoftmrw!