IT BOY OR CONCRETE BOY? NEW ADRIAN LYLES SINGLE
Adrian Lyles is back with another unforgettably explosive song, cementing himself in the music world with “Concrete Boy.” The song is just over 2 minutes long, but is bursting with explosive energy and deep-cut lyrics that bring listeners back to the concrete with the singer.
Although he’s been playing music since his childhood, Lyles jump-started his career after starring as “Jet” in the last two seasons of Disney’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” He has released four songs of his own since 2024 and recently came off a nationwide tour supporting Almost Monday.
“Concrete Boy” — which Lyles teased on tour — explores remembering where he came from, regardless of any fame or success that comes his way, using “concrete” as a call to home. With references to Los Angeles’ Sunset Boulevard, a street known for its classic rich Hollywood lifestyle, and being told he’s “changing” by close friends, “Concrete Boy” taps into Lyles’ inner voice, one that worries he may be straying too far from his roots. The 2-minute bolt of energy is typical of a Lyles track, with the singer known for his fast beats, smooth vocals and bursting musical numbers.
The song is one that will captivate listeners immediately after pressing play, with a steady, synth-like piano melody layered underneath a whispering voice swirling around your headphones. Lyles is not a stranger to raps and fast vocals, which is what he gives listeners within the first 30 seconds of the song. Lyles has a unique sound to him, both lyrically and vocally, that make him stand out from his peers. His warm, smooth vocals are so identifiable, you will always be able to tell when a Lyles track is playing.
“Somewhere ‘long the way / I forgot something you would say to me / Scuffin’ up my hands on the concrete you say they changing me,” Lyles sings in the first verse. “And then true friends become two friends / And they lose me and I lose them / Like damn I miss my old friends.”
These introspective lyrics express Lyles’ realization that his life isn’t the same as it once was, no matter how much he wants it to be. By forgetting things his friends may have said and losing them as friends in the process, Lyles goes on to sing about how he’s heading home and won’t lose himself. His conversational singing tone and writing gives this song a personal touch that anyone can relate to or empathize with.
Lyles worked with GRAMMY-winning producer Oak Felder (Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino, Demi Lovato) on “Concrete Boy” to create a beat that anyone could dance to. As the lyrics get faster, louder and build to the drop, the instrumental does as well. Crashing drums, synths and hypnotizing “la, la, la” vocals layered together give the song the chaos it was looking for. The ending is one to pay close attention to, with Lyles’ voice getting louder and louder as he screams into the microphone, giving listeners a lasting impression of the song. We are then met with the same steady synth that started the song, giving the track a seamless loop.
“Why you always leaving leaving leaving / Don’t you miss the feeling feeling feeling,” Lyles screams in the last few seconds of the song.
Photo: Adrian Lyles “Concrete Boy” single cover | Graphic by Paige Wallner (Crave Music Magazine)
The music video helps visualize his story even more, showing Lyles and his band playing with all of their might on stage at a dive bar. Flashing lights, emotion and energy radiate around the stage, but upon the song’s end, it turns out no one was paying attention to the set. This brilliantly plays into the irony of the track, and taps into the song’s fears of losing friends and playing for empty rooms that Lyles has also written about in other tracks of his like “King of Everything.”
Adrian Lyles is an artist that should be cemented into everyone’s playlist, especially after the release of “Concrete Boy.”
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