Bay area born and bred and now Los Angeles based artist Gyasi Ross has just unleashed his latest single and music video throughCatBeach Music. Called "Different", the track is the first of the year from Gyasi who shared "A Song About Hope" in 2021.
"Different" is an autobiographical narrative Gyasi Ross wrote to his younger self about how to navigate the world as a black person growing up in America. He emotionally sings poignant lyrics including, "people are going to hate you for the way your skin hits the sunlight / don't worry it's alright / they're just scared of anything and everything / but you know what's really there," demonstrating the hardships and racism that he went through in his life.
This message of warning also acts as a message of love to his younger self, giving him permission to dream big and find inner self worth even when the world can be cruel. "Different" is essentially a poem initially sung over stripped down guitar. Soon the song culminates into a rock anthem complete with hard hitting drums, soaring vocals and gritty guitar riffs for a thrilling and important listen. The accompanying visuals features a series of tableaus based on life experiences Gyasi Ross had with the young actor Manny Shorter playing his younger self.
Gyasi Ross blends hip-hop lyrics, R&B and soul vocals with rock for an intoxicating fusion of sounds. His influences range from John Legend and John Mayer to Ella Fitzgerald, inspiring his own unique sonic concoction. Take a listen to "Different" now and tell us your thoughts in the comments section.
