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Photo: Zachary Vague

Vancouver indie artist young friend is in his loverboy era—or maybe the antithesis of it—with latest single “boyfriend material.” With the fear of commitment disguised as overconfidence, “boyfriend material” is all the sexiest parts about your most aggravating Hinge match bottled up in a catchy indie hit. 

The track starts out casual and cool, with drums that beat steadily under a blasé bass line. An element of mystique sneaks in when young friend starts plucking out the bluesy guitar chords and playful piano. He lines the sound with a bit of flirty enchantment; it’s all very shrouded in subtlety, fitting the unattainable character that young friend builds in these verses. 

Unfolding into the chorus, listeners meet another side to this “player,” the arrangement blossoming into lush layers of guitars and background vocals. Whereas the verses are teasing, the choruses hint at self-deprecation as young friend plays on trends of serendipity, referencing astrology and “male manipulator” tendencies, singing, “A constellation's nothing more / Than lines between the stars… / No I don't sing about you / When I’m playing this guitar.”

young friend spoke about the track, sharing, “‘boyfriend material is about coming to terms with the fact that you might not be ready to commit to a relationship. i play this character that is meant to be sleazy, and i confront the fact that i am not in fact boyfriend material, I’m really just a sort of fling before the real thing comes along."

Exactly as the song laments, young friend keeps it casual and cheeky, but can’t help but charm listeners as the chorus melts into an earnest admission. “boyfriend material” is an exciting embrace into the future of the indie artist’s sound, and a track sure to ring true with listeners. 

Listen to “boyfriend material” below: