Today’s Song: Rhys Lewis Beautifully Bewitches with "Be Your Man"

Oxford singer-songwriter Rhys Lewis demonstrates the reasons behind his ever-growing popularity with heartache anthem “Be Your Man.”

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Listen: “Be Your Man” – Rhys Lewis

Rhys Lewis’ highly anticipated sophomore EP In Between Minds showcased his stunning growth into one of the UK’s finest songwriters. Throughout the EP’s five distinct tracks, Lewis expertly meandered between chronicling wistful romance, distressingly difficult break-ups, and addressing the tumultuous times that we all live in. It’s arguably his observant lyricism delivered with a palpable poignancy that wonderfully elevates him above typical singer-songwriter tropes.

For his latest release, the extraordinarily talented Oxford-bred musician revisits “Be Your Man,” a tender heartache-inspired track that was previously released as an acoustic track back in 2017. The stripped-back nature of that release beautifully evidenced Lewis’ unmatched ability to craft resonant lyricism that’s simultaneously intensely personal and affectingly relatable.

To revamp the beloved track, Lewis enlisted the help of acclaimed producers Askjell Solstrand, Odd Martin Skalnes, and Richard Wilkinson. In his varied career, Wilkinson has worked with the likes of effervescent electronic duo HONNE, hitmaker John Newman, and sensational songwriter Lewis Watson. While Odd Martin and Askjell are perhaps most well-known for their work with the utterly sensational Sigrid and the awe-inspiring Aurora.

“Be Your Man” serves as Martin’s second time of working with Lewis, having contributed to his brilliant debut EP Bad Timing. While, “Be Your Man” serves as Lewis’ first time collaborating with Askjell, who’s just released his absorbing debut EP To Be Loved and been busy racking up production credits on songs from likes of Naaz and Gabrielle Aplin. With the help of these acclaimed producers, the over-arching mood of “Be Your Man” is thoroughly transformed.

The tenderness of the original is practically overcome by a newly unrevealed ominously dark sentiment, with the more solemn production showcasing a whole new side to the song. Despite the newly energised production, Lewis’ emotional-laden vocal performance remains at the forefront of the track, beautifully exposing feelings of desolate hopelessness and underlying anger.

Without an album to his name, Lewis has already accumulated a loyal legion of fans throughout Europe and the UK. He’s currently in the US supporting the phenomenal Julia Michaels, and he’s no stranger to performing stateside, having recently supported Sigrid at Brooklyn Steel back in February. Rhys Lewis also made his way back across the pond this November for his biggest headline UK Tour, which saw him play his biggest headline show to date at EartH in London.

Given the resoundingly positive fan reaction to “Be Your Man,” it surely won’t be long before Lewis transforms “No Right To Love You,” his most beloved song, in a similar way to how he’s re-energised “Be Your Man.” Given his exceptional track record and exceptional ability to distill his intimate emotions into accessible anthems, it’s not hard to envisage Lewis as Britain’s next top musical export. It’s almost only a matter of which one of his tracks will end up propelling his stardom to stratospheric heights.