From the handles of swing sets clutched in your hands to your high school diploma clutched in, you walk down the stage and remember all of the moments that became the epitome of your childhood all the way to the end of your adolescence. There might be hints of existentialism or hints of happiness laced with nostalgia. These feelings can be seen in musician, Malcolm Todd’s 2024 mixtape, “Sweet Boy,” which was depicted as a coming of age project where he pondered on the fleeting nature of his teens, yearning for romantic validation, and self-actualization. The album was split into two parts, where it mimics the “Lover Boy” aesthetic to prove that he is still that sweet boy in heart even when pain such as heartbreak transforms him. Here are four of the 16 tracks that elicit tenderness and the complexities of young love.
–
“Roommates”
“I’m losing the person I was when I found you
Am I acting differently when I’m not around you?
I’m being dramatic, I say that I’m losing
I wanna show you all the things I’ve been doing
I’m going on dates and I’m hanging my head
I wanna share an apartment, a room, and a bed
I wanna tell you I love you, but I cannot reach you
I’m learning to lose, that’s a thing they don’t teach you”
To live with someone is a huge commitment that many couples resort to even before they commit to marriage. The reason is due to the contagious nature of love in wanting to always be in close proximity of one another. Similarly to how one finds camaraderie in roommates, where once they have moved out it feels as if those positive feelings left with them. Here, Todd emphasizes on how overrated the concept of falling in love is rather than the awareness of its aftermath and how to deal with the unmanageable feelings after. Todd also addresses the exhausting cycle it is to feel as if you have moved on from your past, but always find yourself reminiscing about it again and not attaining to courage to move on with your overwhelmingly intentions.
“Ladygirl”
“I wanna be your throne
I wanna call you baby
I’ll give you all you want
And you can say you’d date me
I wanna take you home
I wanna bring you with me
I’ll take you to my shows
Then after you can kiss me (kiss me)”
Similarly to the adrenaline you would get in the front row of your favorite artist’s concert, you’d get it from being the romantic interest of said artists. Todd illustrates the intensity of young love in the culture of music and how he lives for them to cheer him on, emphasizing that a relationship is built upon continuous support and praising them for being a foundation for his success. Simultaneously, he adheres to his “Sweet Boy” persona through the title “Lady” and personifies himself as their throne.
“Rockstar Boyfriend” (Explicit)
“But can I call you Natalia?
I wanna solve all of your problems
I try and make it better but I can’t solve them
‘Cause you’re not with me to kiss me
You miss me, I miss you, I ran out of tissues but”
Part of experiencing young love is wondering if you’re ever close enough in the relationship. This feeling is perfectly captured in Todd’s song as he explores his feelings of emotional conflict and distance in a relationship in pursuing a music career. Within the song is an anthem about a young artist trying to navigate a healthy relationship and handling the struggles that come with fame. Specifically in the chorus, it highlights how much it hurts to be so distant from your lover in order to do something that means so much to you and your heart.
“Pillow”
“I can’t be your friend, no, well, maybe depends on
If your heart is in it, but it’s not, we’re finished
You loved me, I loved you
There’s no more of us two
It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright”
One of the hardest things that comes in young love is the struggle of letting go of a past relationship, whether it be your first one or moving on to a new relationship after several previous relationships. Regardless of what it is, it is extremely difficult to move on from a relationship that meant so much to you. Although this feeling is horrible to get over, it’s the only healthy way to grow into an older, wiser, and better person.
–
Young love is no easy thing as for many it’s your first time handling these emotions that you have never experienced or felt before. Although getting through your first crush, relationship, and breakup can be incredibly difficult, Todd’s album “Sweet Boy” captures it all perfectly. Without having a source of navigating these feelings it becomes incredibly difficult to handle it very healthily. Therefore not being able to navigate through these feelings is a normal part of experiencing love for the first time yet having this album by this side allows you to have an output to these massive emotions.
