KENTON navigates the struggle and self-discovery of life as a queer Asian American immigrant on his powerful new album Sweetmouth
As a queer Asian American, rising pop artist KENTON is somebody who has had a unique and often challenging path through life, grappling with issues like religion, queer identity and self-love while having to carrying the various feelings and emotions that the conflict between his sexuality and his heritage have caused. This is explored on his expansive and deeply personal new album Sweetmouth, a release that sees the artist processing and articulating these experiences in a way that feels rewarding and endlessly creative.
The album opens with the immediately transfixing ‘I’m Breaking My Fathers Heart’, a track that pushes you straight into the emotional deep-end as he grapples with the reality of his life as an immigrant and a once-closeted queer person raised by a minister. There is a sombre and intimate tone to the track that perfectly mirrors the reverence and heart that is poured all over its narrative, making for a compelling listen that does an effortless job of establishing the gravity and power of the album as a whole.
This is immediately contrasted by the pop banger ‘Vaporize Me’, an upbeat, club-ready anthem that is actually a suave adaptation of an old Hakka folk tune the artist learned from his father. There is an effortlessly stylish and fun feel to the track that offers a bit of levity and fun compared to the more intense moments on the album, and it continues to showcase the breadth and scope of the artist’s ambitious appeal.
80s synths and a confident and assured sound adorn ‘Gift of Loneliness’, an introspective track that offers a candid look into the artist’s own loneliness and his tendency to use evasiveness and isolation as a shield from any potential harm or vulnerability. The track has an effortlessly slick and gritty pop feel to it throughout that melds catchy, bouncy rhythms with a dark and atmospheric undercurrent that feels inviting throughout.
There is more thoughtful introspection on ‘Doing Alright’, a laid-back and thoughtful track that has an effortlessly dreamy chorus that mirrors his relaxed feelings on the track, before ‘3 AM in Taipei’ builds into what feels like another dance-floor ready anthem that is awash full of intoxicating beats and another show-stoppingly catchy and colourful chorus.
Following a brief and smooth interlude in the form of ‘Elephant Mountain’ that sees the artist showcasing his stunning vocal range, we’re back to the dancefloor on the irresistibly rousing ‘Dirty Laundry’, a track that has a deceptive amount of depth as he masks introspective thoughts about how his openness about his sexuality and lifestyle brings shame and ostracises him from his family and how ridiculous that seems behind its glossy and club-ready exterior. The track has a really empowering and fierce feel to it throughout, and his valid and thoughtful criticisms of these values and double standards will feel resonating and real for anybody who has faced similar stigma from their families and beyond.
The artist’s doubts and struggles come to the fore in their most haunting and memorable fashion on the sombre and vulnerable ‘Never Born’, a track that sees the artist wondering what impact he has made on the world and the people around him and how much difference it would make had he never been there in the first place. There is a really stripped-back and nuanced feel to the instrumentation here that amplifies its message and the sincerity that it is draped in, making for a listen that grips you as a listener and leaves a really memorable impression.
‘Wannabe American’ explores the artist’s life as the son of Taiwanese immigrants in a way that feels both tongue in cheek and thoughtful, taking an inward look at his self-identity and the ways that the cultures assimilate and swallow each other up in a way that seems to dilute both in one way or another. As always, there is a real depth to the lyrics and the things that KENTON says, even when it is sometimes presented in ways that feel steeped in irony.
Following the brief, palate-cleaning ‘Like a River’, ‘Without You’ offers a stirring piece of emotional balladry that sees KENTON exploring the fallout of a break up and him struggling to move on and detach himself from the past, offering a counterpart to the more expansive moments on the album for a track that is built solely on emotional intensity and heart.
The smooth softness of ‘Back to Love’ is a track that has a conversational and thoughtful appeal to it, with the artist addressing some of his shortcomings and looking to reconcile things and find the comfort and home that he has found in love in the past. It is a track that has a really earnest sincerity to it and has a sweet, catchy appeal to it that unfolds in a really natural and flowing way.
The title track ‘Sweetmouth’ is an optimistic track that addresses the artist’s journey and life to date and represents some hope for the future, with its name coming from KENTON’s childhood nickname, sweetmouth– a Chinese word for an adorable and obedient child. There is an uplifting and charming feel to the track and the thoughtful instrumentation mirrors that, exploring life and love in a way that feels organic and resonating.
‘Let Light In’ offers an emotional send off for the album, delving once again into these feelings of identity and the lack anywhere feeling quite like home that the artist has experienced, while managing to let go of some of the adversities that he has faced that were never his own fault or things he could control, offering a heartfelt farewell that addresses a lot of the issues that the album faces head on. Sweetmouth is an album that is about the artist’s experiences and personal battles, but it serves as so much more than that in terms of its impact, offering a message of solidarity and kinship with anybody who has a story that mirrors the artists in some kind of way. Whether you’re queer, an immigrant, or anybody who has been made to feel “other” or like you don’t belong in some kind of way, Sweetmouth is a message of reassurance and encouragement to keep being who you are and living your life unapologetically, and the impact of the tracks and the messaging reinforces this throughout.
