We have been intently following the rise of Audren, having recently featured the thought-provoking and consciously introspective single, We’re All Lost, as well as the evocative, When Freedom Dies, and the cinematic single, A New Page, so when we found out that the witchy-conscious-baddie was back with Smile, People Smile!, we were curious to say the least and couldn’t wait to immerse ourselves in her universe once again.
Drawing us in with textured, rolling drums and a funk-adjacent guitar soundscape, Audren opens Smile, People Smile! with a narrative and a captivating vocal timbre. She shares her wisdom with poetic prowess and intentional understanding. She reminds us not to wait in frustration, and just “smile” as “smiling makes you feel good.”
On her creative process, Audren confesses, “I wrote this song after some difficult months when everything went wrong, I started to believe that Murphy’s Law was more than just an Al Jarreau song. I felt cursed. I was unable to find a single solution to all of my problems. I had lost hope and stamina. I needed joy so badly! I was standing alone, facing my mic, talking to myself: “Come on! Smile, Audren, smile! You’re gonna be fine”… and Bam! The song popped out!”
The instrumentation is sublime, the bass riffs, and horns add dimensionality, punctuating Audren’s conscious message. We learn that the intention of the crowd noise and laughter is to create a feeling like you’ve just walked into a party where everyone is happy and wants you to join. Audren tells us, “Sometimes I smile without even feeling happy yet it instantly puts me in a positive mood. It gives me the strength to tackle our disrupted world, and it makes my life lighter.”
There is no doubt that the message of the song is super important, now more than ever. Many people are living in a sunken place, we are surrounded by turmoil, wars, and low vibrations, so to keep one’s head up and just smile, and accept reality for what it is and see the optimism in life feels almost radical. That is what Audren brings to the table as an artist, and we are grateful to her for this. Once again, Audren and her producer Rime have created a healing song that stays in our heads because it is well made and generates a positive feeling.
Many studies show what Audren says in just a few words: smiling makes you feel good. Smiling releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, which improve our mood and help our bodies to relax. A smile also shows confidence and ability – even to yourself. It is proven to increase creativity and productivity too.
Needless to say, we are obsessed with what Audren conjures up, and have added Smile, People Smile! to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the visionary artist’s growing discography, and anticipate future releases from Audren.