Aidan Gallagher is not a name you would immediately recognize when it comes to music, but for any avid Netflix watcher he is known as Five Hargreeves, a fan favorite apocalypse chasing character of the Netflix original show, The Umbrella Academy. While Gallagher has garnered the majority of his fame from The Umbrella Academy, he has utilized this surge of popularity to promote his music career. His newest song, Blue Neon, is a appropriate  starting point for his first studio produced solo work.

Gallagher’s lyrics are very beautiful. While they are fairly simple, they perfectly capture his aesthetic of teen angst. “All the stars scattered like sand, across our little wonderland” is one verse that I find particularly artful in the sense that it is just pretty writing. Though not many of the lyrics have any deeper meanings to decipher, they are very well written compared to other more experienced writers in the industry. It is very refreshing to see an artist be so open and honest in his lyrics. Listeners will be able to tell that what Gallagher sings comes from the heart.

Gallagher’s vocals are stunning. They are different than anything I’ve personally heard in today’s pop music. The song starts off with soothing and soft sounds. In the middle however, Gallagher shows off more of his range of vocal skills, allowing more of the natural rasp of his voice to come through. It sounds as if two completely different artists have come together in this one song. Though his tone is fairly monotonous throughout the song, it only adds to the edgy vibe of the song.

Though Aidan Gallagher is best known as a time traveling hitman as of right now, it is easy to see much potential in musical endeavors. It is helpful that he has a platform built up from starring in The Umbrella Academy that he can use to promote his solo work too. However, I do not think gaining another fan base from his music will be an issue either. At only 15, he has more than enough time to develop his songwriting abilities and his overall style. 

4/5