After garnering 403k likes on an iconic TikTok video, the 13-year-old musical sensation Prentiss has released music on multiple platforms on a regular basis, including his most recent single “why should i care.”

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I am almost certain that there are various thoughts flying through people’s heads, such as “What kind of chocolate should I get her?” “I wonder if he would like roses…” or “I wonder what movie should I watch alone tonight…” Among those thoughts, however subtle, there is almost always an air of regret around a former special someone. They made you feel wonderful, and it ended sooner than you would have liked, but you find yourself still caring. Prentiss derived much of his compositional inspiration from the likes of MGK and Juice Wrld, and hits on this topic perfectly. 

The song opens with a light and easy guitar riff to ease you into the story at hand, where Prentiss sings that “We never had a problem to begin with / Why do we have a problem now?” He follows it up with the idea that this issue has been made much grander than is necessary, seamlessly flowing into the chorus. Prentiss seems to be trying to communicate how difficult love can be when the going gets tough. Optimally, love would be blissful no matter what. The line “We mighta had a problem not the biggest / Why make it bigger than it sounds?” takes this simple scenario and shows that problems can be exacerbated greatly. This irritation can ruin love and ultimately leads to indifference. 

The accompaniment of harmonies beside the repeated line “Why should I care?” is quite impressive for someone of his experience. Back when I was in Jazz Band in high school, I discovered how difficult recording and mixing music was first hand. Even with the abundance of keyboards, synthesizers, and live brass at our fingertips, forming a cohesive song was no easy feat. On this single, the clanging dissonance of piano chords that undulates below his raspy voice calling out “Why Should I care?” gave me chills. While some aspects of the mixing leaves some room for improvement (mainly through panning), I was thoroughly impressed with this section.

As the second verse started, some light percussion and bass became anchored to the mix during his recollection of his previous love. I appreciated the gradual progression of instruments as opposed to coming through the door swinging with too much happening all at once. Moreover, I found the lyrics to be especially touching here: “It’s been a minute till I see you back around / Hating on my (inaudible sorry) / Can’t we talk since there are people in the crowd?” Though he seemed to be indifferent toward this person for the majority of the song, this one moment of vulnerability reminded me of the times where you needed to know it was over by trying one final time. It is truly a good listen before the last chorus.

Overall, this song was engaging, emotive, and impressive for a producer of Prentiss’ age to produce. If you are interested in checking out Prentiss’s music, he posts regularly to Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Music, and Youtube.

Grade: B
Release Date: Jan. 22, 2021

Image courtesy of SoundCloud.