Payson Lewis Gets Personal with Single, "Nothing to You"

By Thomas Rodriguez

Payson Lewis delivers a bouncy edge to a surprisingly moody and fulfilling piece of indie-pop with his latest single, “Nothing to You.”

Ah, the chaos of rocky relationships. Nothing in the history of pop music has inspired so much simultaneous anger, sadness, and confidence from the countless artists in the industry.

Musically, artists have covered the subject of unrequited love more times than can ever be counted, but upcoming indie-pop artist Payson Lewis puts a fresh spin on this age-old topic with some nice wordplay and an undeniable bounce on his latest single, “Nothing to You.”

According to Lewis, “Nothing to You” is written from the perspective of someone putting everything they have into a relationship, only to receive nothing in return. Throughout the track, Lewis laces in slivers of personal experience and frustration about feeling isolated, “lucky to receive an invitation” from his love interest to receive affection or even just hang out. The driving drums and constantly building guitar of the track provide a simmer underneath his impassioned singing to build a great sense of tension.

The idea of unequal effort in relationships is universal, as is the desire to feel worthy of existing in another person’s life. As Lewis sings “I’d rather be nothin’ to you” on the hook, the song explodes with an equal amount of fiery rage and icy disappointment; it’s invigorating to have a somber topic backed by lively instrumentation. 

Lewis’ talent extends beyond the lyricism of the track; his hook game is impeccable, and his use of the classic pop formula works wonders in terms of maintaining energy. The song’s hook, while simple, is an excellent example of doing more with less; the emotion is as blunt and powerful as a baseball bat to the head. Meanwhile, hollow drum beats on the verses and a cacophony of electronic vocals on the bridge give a sense of evolution throughout the track, making the typical pop structure become masked by a sweet instrumental palette.

“Nothing to You” is a great song: as a personal reflection on love, it’s deeply relatable while managing to be fun on the ears with a monstrous chorus and great production. If you’re looking for a soundtrack to forget your ex to, you should stop by this track!

Follow Payson on his socials (@paysonlewis) to keep up to date with him!