Known for having 2.5 billion streams across multiple platforms, British singer songwriter James TW has just released Heartbreak Changes (Part 1), where he speaks of a long time, now broken relationship and the flood of emotions it causes. James TW started off hugely successful, with his first single “When You Love Someone” having over one billion streams alone. He has also toured with big names such as Shawn Mendez and Andy Grammar, and appeared on widely popular television shows such as Ellen and The Today Show. His debut album, Chapters, has sold over one million copies, and proves the anticipation that was present while awaiting for the arrival of Heartbreak Changes (Part 1).

“Heartbeat Changes (Part 1) is a collection of songs documenting the emotions & realizations I had after the only break up I’ve ever gone through last year. It’s honest and as personal as my music has even been.”

~ James TW

“Butterflies” features a very charming visual along with the elegant sounds of the track itself. In the visual, James TW is seen mouthing the lyrics while taking on different, sometimes outlandish, outfits in a photo booth. The imagery shown can be seen as a metaphor for all of the different ways James TW wanted to change himself and leave behind the thoughts of the girl he once was able to hold close. The pain of being left behind shows thoroughly in the lyrics, specifically how drinking and hiding photos of memories will never work in out in one’s favor, being “I’ve hidden all the pictures, I’ve tried stayin’ out all night, but no matter what I do, I still get these butterflies.” We have all felt these feelings before, and this is why “Butterflies” is as solemn as it is powerful.

“Hopeless Romantics” also was released with a visual, but tells a much bigger story. James TW plays the roll of someone who was badly hurt, and rushed to be taken care of by paramedics. After a careful examination however, the paramedics see that James TW has taken no physical injuries, but his pain was all emotional. They dress him up in nicer clothes, and he goes on his way, signifying him moving on with his life. This song speaks of a more fulfilling breakup, of which can be seen by the way James TW carries his voice in the later parts of the track, as he has said himself.

“Hopeless Romantics was actually the first tune I wrote after I moved out. Many of the songs sort of said, ‘I really miss you’ and hinted at wanting to be back together. This one says, ‘I’m okay now. I don’t need that’. I wanted it to be a happy breakup. I’m proud of that relationship even though it didn’t work out. The song was the last time I went back to the place where we broke up. I just wanted to celebrate what we’d done together.”

~ James TW

“Playlist” is the first album-original single, and starts off with a calming guitar and the thoughts of missing someone dearly. The chorus picks up when speaking about the exhilarating feeling of touching and being close to the one you love, and James TW is excellent in conveying these emotions through the dulcet tones of his vocals. “Playlist” exemplifies the yearning that everyone has felt when being away from their special someone, and the pain of knowing that things will never be the same after the hard split of a breakup.

“6 Years” focuses on the plans that fall apart after the split of a relationship. James TW speaks of how after so many years of thinking she was the one, that she would be his wife and bear his children, how none of it came true, and it would all come to an end in an unforgiving breakup. Happy memories are now painful to reminisce over, as 6 years holds “a lot of love, lot of smiles, and lot of tears.” “6 Years” touches on how awful a loss like this feels in both voice and instrumentals, and is a tearjerker for sure.

“Rose Tinted Glasses” holds the powerful realization that two people who seemed so close were never meant to be together. He tells us of when he looked back on his past relationship, “over everything we had, without rose tinted glasses, I can see why we weren’t meant to be.” Coming to terms with revelations such as this is never easy, and James TW pours out the emotion that follows when landing on such a conclusion.

The raw feelings presented by James TW are what truly make Heartbreak Changes (Part 1) resonate with so many listeners around the globe. I encourage adding any of these tracks to your playlist, and join me in eagerly awaiting when part two is able to see its release.