We often put on a facade to mask our true feelings — and it’s usually because it’s more convenient. R.LUM.R. is not about that life. On his new single, “How This Feels,” the singer-songwriter opens up about his current stance in his relationship.
“I don’t want to lead us in the wrong direction / Forced to fake a feeling ’cause we both need affection,” he sings. “So can we be real about how this feels,” he continues in his falsetto.
R.LUM.R explained the track to Rated R&B in a statement. “‘How This Feels,’ to me, feels explosive and cathartic, while observing that numbness that I feel like a lot of us go through,” he says. “I’m asking, quite literally, ‘Can we be real about the way this feels?'”
“How This Feels” marks the beginning of a new era for R.LUM.R. It’s his first official single since his 2017 project, Afterimage, and his first song to release as an Island Records artist. It will appear on his forthcoming debut album that is due this fall.
In addition to the song’s release, R.LUM.R also premiered the accompanying visual. “With this first visual, I wanted to make sure to do something more striking and interesting than I’ve ever done that makes you feel the isolation that is so felt in the music,” he explained. “I think we did it with ‘How This Feels.'”
Stream “How This Feels” below.
Watch the official video for “How This Feels” below.
