**DISCLAIMER: This is a review of his most popular/favorited songs on Sunburn. It is encouraged that you listen to the full album! It’s really good!!

On July 7, Dominic Fike dropped his highly anticipated second studio album titled Sunburn. Many of Fike’s fans were super excited to hear what the entire album would sound like, especially since he had three pre-released songs going into the 15-track album. Fike even had a tour in North America to promote the album which started on July 13 and is starting his leg of the Europe tour on September 19. 

Fike’s upbringing had a large impact on his musical career, in which he spent a small portion of his time on house arrest where he recorded and released his EP, Don’t Forget About Me, Demos at the age of 22. This is where it all started for him.

The album starts off strong with “How Much Is Weed?” It has an energy that teleports the listener straight to Florida. The beginning of the song has you hooked at first listen, and wills people to get up and start dancing. The whole song is just so catchy, and once you learn the lyrics it’s even more fun to sing/rap to it. It’s an amazing introduction to an even more amazing album. If you play the song once, you probably won’t get it out of your head anytime soon.

Liangji Wang, a junior at Mark Keppel, shared his thoughts and opinions on Fike. He said, “His music is really good, his voice is phenomenal …and I love him.” Since Wang has not heard the album yet, he was questioned about how different he thinks this album might be from What Could Possibly Go Wrong?, Fike’s first studio album. He answered “I feel like it will be very different, because [most of] his music has been experimental. It’s [changed] from themes, mood, rhythm, it’s been changing. Well, I hope it’s different.”

Jessica Fike-McCann, Fike’s mother, gave us an opportunity to interview her and ask her some questions about the album itself. When asked about her thoughts on the album, she said “Sunburn is dark, deep, peaceful, chaotic, beautiful, fun, happy, sad, and honest all wrapped into one. He hits so many emotions and brings you into his world for just a little bit. It’s very sweet and means more to me than you know.”

The next song that is probably the most popular on the album is “Mona Lisa.” This song was featured in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and has definitely had an increase in popularity in Fike’s career. The song is upbeat and fun to listen to, and will definitely lift your spirits up. There have been many positive reviews about this song, and it’s very well known, even if people have never listened to a Fike song before. 

Symone, who runs a fan page of Fike’s (@smileyfike on Instagram), also allowed us to interview her. When asked about her thoughts on Sunburn, she said “I think it’s an amazing album. I think with a lot of artists, it’s hard to follow up when everyone already loves your first album. But, I think a lot of fans would argue that the second album is even better.” She followed up with “It’s a really personal piece and really takes you to his kind of headspace when you hear it.”

Another very popular song that was performed at Coachella before its release is titled “Ant Pile.” It gave Fike’s fans an insight into what his future album (Sunburn) would sound like. This track serves as the sonic overture, setting the sound and mood for the entire album with its mesmerizing blend of instrumentals and vocals that led his fans to anticipate his next moves.

The lyrics of the album’s song titled “Dark” is a very chill song to listen to, almost as if you’re standing on the shore of a beach and feeling the wind around you. The sound shares a sound of serenity as he’s talking about how he became someone he always said he wouldn’t become, and reviewing the small pieces from his childhood that he can barely remember. Fike-McCann says this is her favorite song on Sunburn. She says “..if I had to say which one I can wake up listening to and go to sleep to is Dark, because it’s a part of our lives that [has] made up parts of who he is today. [Kind] of a reminder and [a] release at the same time.”

“Frisky” is a song that has been unreleased for a while that Fike’s fans have been streaming through YouTube. After years of waiting for its release, the artist has finally decided to deliver the song, much to the excitement of his fans. This hidden gem is now available for everyone to hear! The body of this song is much different from its intro, as it sounds more country. The intro may be deceiving, but “Frisky” is a good song that left fans clamoring for its release for a reason.

To end, Fike-McCann was also asked how proud she was of her son and the release of his newest album. She replied “I’m definitely proud of him. Watching him grow into this [superhuman] is one of the most rewarding feelings as a mother and as long as he’s happy, I couldn’t ask for more!” Her positive attitude really shows how much she loves her son and this album, which you should listen to.