Taylor Jules Releases “Helicopter”

Pop singer Taylor Jules is issuing a stunning new power ballad in her single “Helicopter” this January, and while she isn’t the only artist in her scene doing as much, I think it’s safe to say hers is worthy of the hype. In this track, the tone and presentation of the music tell us a story that the lyrics reflect almost too perfectly in a couple of key moments, and though it’s a pop-structured composition that can be broken into familiar pieces if you know the genre well, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it’s a plain listen in the least. Jules is working with a depth of emotion that few of her peers possess, and “Helicopter” encapsulates her unique identity wonderfully without overstating her abilities as a singer. 

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The piano is as soft as silk in this song, but as we move deeper into the track, it becomes quite obvious that its keys are capable of transmitting brute force whenever Jules deems it necessary. Her command over the melody is as impressive as her arrangement of the notes is; for every ebb in the rhythm, there’s a flowing harmony waiting to embrace us around the next twist or turn in the song. From a musician’s point of view, this artist is both an old-school pop songwriter and a Los Angeles-living free spirit who doesn’t care as much for the limits of her predecessors as she does trying to evolve her songcraft and artistry.

There’s nothing rushed about “Helicopter,” from the plodding of the piano to the delicate shaping of the bassline in the background, and even in the tension-building ascent of the keys that commences between the verses, the song is patiently arranged as to exploit the melody for every drop of emotion that it’s worth. The urgency that this track yields has nothing to do with tempo and everything to do with execution; which, in and of itself, is one of the biggest attributes that Taylor Jules has going for her as an artist. 

The production quality in this song is as pristine as the content that it boasts. I would point out that it isn’t overly saturated in tech-savvy varnish. For the most part, the tonality feels organic and natural, and to be fair, when you’ve got the songwriting skills that Jules enjoys, you don’t need to add a whole heck of a lot of frills from behind the soundboard. This is live quality, and not replicated after someone else’s sense of aesthetics. 

If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend getting acquainted with Taylor Jules through this incredible track, which likely demonstrates nothing more than a taste of what she has to offer as a pop singer. There’s no shortage of layers for us to peel back in this song, and if it’s on par with what we can expect out of her future output, then you had better believe that this won’t be the last time that she garners rave reviews from critics around the country. 

Trace Whittaker