Review: "Golden Years" - JOA
- Willow Gray
- Feb 28
- 2 min read
JOA’s latest single “Golden Years” turns the typical coming-of-age experience on its head and opts for a blaze-of-glory youth experience. Not every teenager’s transition into adulthood is filled with straightforward paths and guaranteed success. There comes a point where you realize the future can be unpredictable, so living in each moment is what truly matters. The golden years don’t need to be reserved for decades beyond now. With this fall into uncertainty about the future, less care and stress is spent on looking for the dim light at the end of the tunnel. All that really matters now is the present, and reminiscing on the past reaps no benefit. What is happening now is golden and any other time is far from now.
"Golden Years" starts softly with JOA's emotional and tender vocals along with piano. It gently builds with strings, a stomping beat and atmospheric background vocals, going from a ballad to a cathartic and anthemic release of energy. There's a bittersweet sensation that overcomes you when you hear the soundscape of this song; our early adulthood years are both scary and thrilling, but it's good to be reminded to live these years to the fullest while we still have them. The sonic elements of "Golden Years" radiates a youthful aura that'll make you want to stop wasting your time on silly things, get on out there, and do whatever will make you happy.
JOA is a Norwegian singer-songwriter currently based in Oslo, Norway. Growing up, she was heavily integrated in the musical theatre scene and has incorporated this into her music. She released her first single in just 2024 and has already gained a dedicated following. Some of her musical inspirations are artists such as Phoebe Bridgers and Julia Michaels. The young singer regularly engages with her audience on social media in the weeks leading to the release of her first EP. Her website consists of a diary newsletter in which she curates posts relevant to her career and life. Make sure to follow JOA on social media and give “Golden Years” a listen!
Written By Willow Gray
& Kaitlyn Nicole
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