“‘FOMU’ is a playful track about leaving behind the circus of everyday life—the self-imposed rules, the fear of failure. A soft rebellion disguised as an indie pop song,” says Lucerne, Switzerland–based alt-pop artist Pet Owner about her new single “FOMU” (short for fear of messing up).
The track starts as a fast-paced pop song before dropping into a slower vocal top-line melody over fluttering, ’80s-inspired drums.
The instrumentation is fun and playful, imbued with a modern vulnerability and humility that reassures the listener that it’s okay to be imperfect and unpolished. The production even includes dogs barking and ambient sounds, along with a playful chopped vocal loop that appears at the beginning and returns toward the end of the track.
The refrain, “I want to get rid of my fear of messing up,” which Pet Owner sings so effortlessly, perfectly captures the overall lyrical sentiment of “FOMU.”
“FOMU” is a vibrant blend of indie alt-pop and folktronica, with a singer-songwriter touch that allows Pet Owner’s vocals to cut through the layers of noise and vocal chops.
It’s a brilliant effort from Pet Owner, who bends genres freely and isn’t afraid to shift midway to highlight a specific feeling.
