Out singer/songwriter Dawson Fuss releases his terrific debut EP, ‘edge of adolescence,’ a musical journal chronicling that awkward stage of no longer being a child, but not quite an adult.
Channeling vulnerable, personal moments into buoyant anthems, each track is a thoughtful, poignant illustration of a life expressed by raw honesty.
The new collection of anthems, ballads, and bops aptly conveys the artist’s story via catchy, indie melodies swinging from power pop to blues.
One of the standout tracks, “Free,” features the young musician sharing his deeply personal journey to self-acceptance.
“Coming out was something I had always tried to avoid because I didn’t want to come to terms with being gay,” explains the artist. “I convinced myself that my sexuality was a burden to myself and others.”
“However, after I finally realized that coming out was something to take total pride in, I was able to let go and feel truly ‘Free.’”
“Never Really Knew” touches on the loss of a friend to suicide and how grief is incredibly nuanced and even harder to process when you’re so young.
“My brain was ignorant of the severity of what I went through, so I held off any kind of grief work,” Dawson explains. “Once my pencil touched the paper, my thoughts floated from my subconscious to the scratch of the pencil. It was one of the fastest songs I wrote.”
And then there’s “Confused,” an upbeat tune is about feeling complete confusion during Fuss’s first relationship.
“Being my first real relationship, I felt some kind of obligation to feel a certain way about my partner that didn’t come naturally,” says Fuss. “So it put me in this weird position where I did like him, but I was stretching my emotions to a place where the faulty emotions dominated the real ones.”
Related: Out recording artist alex on coming out – ‘I built a whole man I didn’t understand’
edge of adolescence captures not only Dawson’s journey with personal growth, but the journeys of many who will be able to connect and vibe with each of these songs.
edge of adolescence is now available to stream and download on digital platforms worldwide.
Follow Dawson Fuss via his website, Instagram or TikTok.
Ok cute boy I see you