At only age 16, glaive is easily one of the most talented artists in music right now.
While other 16-year-olds may be more concerned about getting through high school, Ash Gutierrez’s (glaive) presence in the emergence of Hyperpop has brought the genre to a point of popularity unmatched. He’s ahead of the curve, even if he began making music at the start of the pandemic in his bedroom.
“I’ve told all my teachers that I kinda have other things to do. I understand school is my top priority but I’ve been… busy.”
Glaive — The Fader
The Asheville, North Carolina native’s sound is almost euphoric, captivating listeners with both genre-bending production and insanely catchy hooks. Along with his natural ability, his use of double vocal stems, metallic three-tone harmonies all while maintaining his underground appeal, Glaive is the epitome of what pop music is going to sound like in the near future. In other words, his sound is iridescent — filled with shimmering, melodic instrumentals equipped with a mature songwriting ability virtually irreplaceable in any other 16-year-old.
On previous tracks such as “clover,” “sick” and his other most recent single with ericdoa titled “cloak-n-dagger,” Glaive’s influences are directly heard in his sultry pop hooks — citing Kesha, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift as his biggest inspirations for creating emotional pop music.
Pushing out tattered, emotive songs like “Astrid” — a love song that earned him his star practically overnight — Glaive’s overt relatability in his music is only at the cusp of what it could be. Signing with Interscope records in November 2020, Glaive’s future projects will definitely see much more of the limelight moving forward.
In an interview with The Fader, Glaive is still wrapping his head around the success he’s experienced in such a short amount of time. After all, he’s still a kid who’s “obsessed with Minecraft,” who posts about the emerging success of his TikTok account and “generally speaks in the charmingly awkward logorrhea of an Internet-poisoned teen.”
This describes Glaive’s music and his personality in a nutshell: raw, heartfelt and emotional at every turn.
His latest single “detest me” (released on June 2) is yet another reason why Glaive is one of those special artists that come once in a generation — as the accompanying music video shot in his hometown of Asheville further illustrates his budding creative vision.
The song opens with a hypnotic, finger-picked guitar melody as Glaive croons with traces of isolation and self-loathing in his voice.
As the beat builds with thumping kick drums and airy arpeggiated synths, Glaive matches its energy with his trademark tinny harmonies and incredible lyricism. The peak of the song, however, comes at the start of the chorus, where Glaive speaks on his thoughts about his place in other people’s minds and hearts.
Detest me, there’s a couple hundred people wanna end me
If you ever need a thing, promise you’ll text me
They wanna put a hundred shots into my chest piecе
Defend me
Dеtest me, there’s a couple hundred people wanna end me
If you ever need a thing, promise you’ll text me
They wanna put a hundred shots into my chest piece
Defend me
Glaive — “detest me”
“detest me’s” instrumental combines genres in both pop and new wave hip-hop, utilizing its booming kicks and hi-hat patterns to ride the beat perfectly. His lyrics still remain to be the centerpiece of the track, as Glaive wears his heart on his sleeve throughout.
And these feelings, they don’t fade as we’ve been growing up
My meals, yeah, they don’t change even when I’m throwing up
My bills, yeah, they don’t break even when I’m slowing up
My friends, yeah, they might change ’cause I’ve been going up
I guess that it’s hard to digest
Dissect the people in my head
My bet is my friends aren’t fine yet
Only sixteen, surprised I ain’t died yet
Glaive – “detest me”
This song should wind up on Glaive’s upcoming debut album All Dogs Go To Heaven, as his undeniable hit-making ability shines the brightest on “detest me.” Running only for 1:59, “detest me’s” replay value is immense — being able to run this song back multiple times throughout the day.
With much more in store for the up-and-coming artist, now is the perfect time for listeners to accept Glaive as the pop superstar he is becoming.
