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Photo:  Maddie Ludgate

Seattle-based artist Thavoron writes the words every tired heart has longed to speak and delivers it in the most painfully romantic way possible. His first release since his debut album Ugly, "18" paints the picture of what remains after the dissolution of a draining love. A reflection of his own personal experience, the song is melodic, atmospheric, and drenched in vulnerability.

You can imagine the bravery it'd take to enter the industry as a queer, first-generation Cambodian-American, but that's what makes his art all the more incredible. He's one of one, making space for himself in a world that hasn’t necessarily made space for him. Luckily, his eccentricity happens to be his superpower.

Taking us through his stream of consciousness, Thavoron is poetry embodied, able to make even his deepest sorrow still feel gentle. With lines like "The thrill gets you high of knowing just when exactly to lie," you can tell just how deep the rage of betrayal has settled in his body. It's distant enough to make art of it, yet fresh enough to still have a bite.

While the track is vocal-driven, there were no shortcuts taken on production, with the percussion, cello, flute, and saxophone pairing under Thavoron's soft vocals like an elixir. "18" is an anthem for the broken and beautiful, and if you're one to be moved by the passion of raw feeling, this is an artist you'd certainly want to keep on your radar.

Listen to "18" below: