Almost universally, music and love are used interchangeably to understand one another in often confusing, yet logical ways. While many artists use music to understand and embrace the irregularity of love, Caleb Hearn turns to music to question it. In his new EP, “We’re Getting Older,” the rising artist fleshes out the many stages of heartbreak. While his vocals welcome a dreamy cadence, Hearn uses the EP to challenge the “happily-ever-after” storybook ending, preferring to accept the peace of the past rather than fighting for the future.

The six song EP comes at a climactic moment for Caleb, amassing over two million subscribers on Spotify, the North Carolina artist's new release is a moment of verified success, signaling his invariable presence in the music industry. Alluring listeners through a certain “boy next door” essence, his charming aesthetic and tender lyrics have become his signature appeal, his newest EP affirming his viral songwriting skills and ability to find lessons in some of the most difficult moments we endure.

On the first track of the EP, “Believe It When I See It,” Hearn sets the acoustic tone that follows throughout the rest of the EP. While each song varies in its composition of instruments the constant shadow of the acoustic guitar narrates the recurring familiarity of the lasting imprint of a meaningful connection. While all of his songs are composed with a deeply encapsulating devotion to processing his experiences, the last track, “We’re Getting Older,” concludes the EP with a less than settling conclusion after an EP full of questions. In the artist's words “I wish I could sit here, hold you, and pretend it’s fine, but I can't. We’re growing in different directions. It’s okay to be heartbroken, and it's okay to still be in love. All of these things are real.”

The collection of songs speaks like a diary, each entry an intimate look into personal yet shared moments. When the end isn’t always as we expected, maybe the closure you need isn’t found in the search for answers but in the peace of moving forward.

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