Please Sing To Me Instead
Amanda Marquis
Ben Platt is mainly known for his role, Benji, in the hit movie Pitch Perfect and for his starring roles in Broadway shows including Dear Evan Hansen, and The Book of Mormon. Now, he has released his first album Sing to me Instead, which is definitely one of the most emotional albums I have ever heard. Even though there are only two songs on the album currently, it has more emotion and pain than stepping on a pile of legos.
The full album will come out on March 29, 2019. The current songs that he released give us a glance into what is coming. This album reminds me of Sam Smith’s Stay with me in that it is a pop album and it is full of emotion. The collection currently includes two songs, Bad Habit, and Ease my Mind. These two songs are full of vulnerability and pain. Platt goes through the album entirely candid and unfiltered.
The first song Bad Habit tells the story of a boy looking back at a toxic relationship and how it was so hard to get out of. In the relationship, the boy felt so connected with his partner and felt as though he could not let go. However, when he did let go, the boy recognized that he had an undeniable connection with his partner and kept going back to him. The pain that the boy feels is brought out in Platt’s lyrics and the tone he conveys throughout the song.
One of the best lines in this song is “Hate to say that I loved you, hate to say that I needed you, hate to say that it is dark in here, but it is true” because it shows that Platt is sincere and open about his mistakes and his flaws. This makes the listener feel the heartbreak that he went through by describing the pain he feels when he thinks about his past relationship.
The second song Ease my Mind explores the mind of Platt and how he has dealt with anxiety and self-love. At the beginning of the song, he explains how every morning he feels as though there is a heavy feeling on his chest. A little bit later in the song, he talks about this person who has helped him get through it or “ease his mind.” The intensity of this song starts soft but gradually builds up. He climaxes the song by singing the chorus in a strong belt with a lot of riffing, and it raises the intensity of the emotion.
In Ease my Mind, my favorite line is “Most days I wake up with a pit in my chest, there are thoughts that I can’t put to rest, there’s a worry that I can’t place.” This line describes what it feels like to have anxiety and how it basically can control someone’s life.
Many people, especially teenagers, struggle with anxiety, and mainly teenagers listen to his music. The reason for Platt being so popular is because he is honest about his struggles and recognizes that others fight the same battles.
Platt has now come out with a tour and will go to many cities including some in Canada. He sings in small venues where he can connect with his audience. Platt shows evidence that he is a very intimate person, and I believe that this album reflects that perfectly. Sing to me instead by Ben Platt is a sophisticated, emotional collection of music, and it deserves a listen from everyone.