No matter where you are in life, there’s always someone who seems to have an advantage over you. Somebody who conveniently has famous friends, a billionaire father, or Brad Pitt’s jawline. For one reason or another, these people have something you don’t, and they don’t always deserve it. This concept of feeling like you got the short end of the stick inspired Arthur Caplan, or Artclass’ debut single, “Underdog”.

Wisconsin-native Arthur Caplan has been releasing music under his full name since 2019, and drops this single as the first under his new stage name, Artclass. The track fits somewhere in the world of indie and bedroom pop, but you can’t put it in any one box, as is often the case with self-produced music. Caplan listed Flume, Dijon, and Young the Giant as musical influences, but the only way I’d describe the sound is that it’s something you’d listen to as you walk through nature on a nice day.

From clean falsettos to a climax at the end that will have you feeling like you’re floating, the track highlights Caplan’s abilities as both a producer and artist. As a singer, songwriter, producer, and engineer, Caplan owned every step of the process with this song. He talked about getting lost in the music, and how it allowed him to create something authentic.

This idea of being self-sufficient actually inspired his rebrand. As ‘Arthur Caplan’, many of his releases were collaborations, with others featured or helping with production. As ‘Artclass’, Caplan wants to prove himself. He wants to show his abilities and just this once, do it without anyone’s help.

A student at the NYU School of Music, Caplan finds himself in a big city, prestigious university, and competitive industry, so it’s no wonder he feels like an underdog. With this release and more music on the way though, I doubt he’ll feel like that for much longer. Stream his debut single, “Underdog” below.

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