YOUNG FRIEND’S LATEST SINGLE, “SOFT LIGHT”, OUT NOW VIA NETTWERK
WATCH / SHARE “SOFT LIGHT” LYRIC VIDEO
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Photo Credit: Zachary Vague // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
This past week, Vancouver-based, JUNO-nominated indie artist young friend opened the new year with an intimate and cozy new song “soft light.” The gauzy vocals, raw production style, and warm guitars conjure the feeling of an early morning sunrise. Lyrically, “soft light” finds Drew Tarves at his most vulnerable and personal with a stream-of-consciousness approach to songwriting.
In his own words, he says "It's sort of a love letter to someone and all the little things about them that make them special. It's quiet, and feels a bit like reading someone's journal."
With his recent releases, young friend has found a dynamic yet cohesive contrast between uptempo rockers and delicate indie twang styles. “soft light” follows recent singles “boyfriend material,” “the real deal,” which are currently receiving support from SIRIUSXM Canada and “golden rule,” produced alongside David Marinelli (FINNEAS, JAWNY, Wallice, Aidan Bissett).
WATCH / SHARE “SOFT LIGHT” LYRIC VIDEO
BUY / STREAM “SOFT LIGHT” HERE
Single Art // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
MORE ABOUT YOUNG FRIEND
Drew Tarves' music as young friend feels classic and immediate all at once, capturing the nostalgia of post-adolescence while diving deep into a pool of self-reflection. His next project is bursting with big feelings and perfect golden light. It feels messy and raw, like long summer nights piling into the back of a pickup truck with all your friends, sprinting to catch the last summer sunset, taking off your shoes and dancing in the grass, falling, getting back up.
A trained dancer for most of his adolescence, the 24-year-old Vancouver native switched artistic disciplines after spending time jamming with his musician friends. "I found out very quickly that I loved it," he recalls. "It was my favorite thing to do." Armed with a guitar and a laptop, Tarves started hashing out early songwriting attempts on GarageBand as he found his own style that suited him: "It was all about experimenting while trying to find what worked for me."
WATCH / SHARE “GOLDEN RULE” HERE
BUY / STREAM “GOLDEN RULE” HERE
In 2022, Tarves released his indie-pop debut EP HOW DID WE GET HERE?, and quickly followed it up with a sophomore in 2023 titled scaredy cat. 2024 brought in his first Canadian and international touring, as well as a JUNO nomination. Now, young friend is prepping his debut full-length that’s produced by friend and frequent collaborator David Marinelli (FINNEAS, Ashe, Wallice, spill tab). The album pulls inspiration from a multitude of places and artists, landing in this comfy space of new and familiar while also making room for self-discovery. It will take you along for the ride of your life. “This album takes notes from a lot of different artists and bands that I really love, and as a result, it is this sort of genre-bending fever dream album.”
WATCH / SHARE “THE REAL DEAL” HERE
BUY / STREAM “THE REAL DEAL” HERE
PRAISE FOR YOUNG FRIEND
"...fuzzy, jangly and all kinds of refreshing, sauntering through glitzy indie-rock riffs and headstrong, energetic rhythms." – Paste Magazine
"...young friend has established himself as a rising act in heartfelt pop, building an expansive sonic world brimming warm nostalgia and self-reflection." –EARMILK
"young friend keeps it casual and cheeky, but can’t help but charm listeners as the chorus melts into an earnest admission." – Ones to Watch
"...summer anthems that sound otherworldly..." –SHEESH MEDIA
"One remarkable aspect of songwriting is the ability to paint a picture. It’s a rare talent, being able to use words to create a visceral image within the mind of a listener. With his slow-burn acoustic pop hits, young friends has mastered this art." – V Magazine