“Devil On My Shoulder” is a new single by pop artist Holly Riva. She is an Australian pop singer who has explored the dark pop genre, reminiscent of Billie Eilish and Dove Cameron. Her vocals soar over a dark and menacing piano melody. This track has an epic sound and is catchy, along with thought provoking.
Riva sings about opening up to her fears and desires, and embracing them. “Nothing can save me, better the devil I know, than the demon that I don’t,” she sings. She is trying to come to terms with the darkness inside her, and accepting these conflicts going on inside her mind. “Can you keep a secret? Something that I have locked away, keeps coming around, around, around. Creeping in the shadows, moving like poison in my veins. I’ll drink it down,” she sings on the first verse. Although Holly Riva feels the darkness around her, she can’t let it go, she has to accept it instead.
The piano and drums set the mood for the track, and then during the chorus it explodes into a triumphant moment, although the lyrics are still trying to come to terms with the “devil”. The “devil” could be a metaphor for the darkness inside her, or a lover that brings out the darkness in her. She seems to accept the darkness and decides to face it head on, rather than run away from these feelings. “This love is a curse and I can’t ignore it, he’s calling out my name,” she sings. Her singing is amazing on this song, and all the parts fit together to create the story, while also hooking the listener with beautiful and dark melodies.
Holly Riva has released five singles to date, and has over 19,500 monthly listeners on Spotify. If you enjoyed this track, then check out her other singles as well.
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