Artist: Steve and Ginie Jackson
Album: Colder Than the Sea
Single: ”7 Billion People”
Montreal acoustic folk duo Steve and Ginie Jackson have released their new single, “7 Billion People,” available anywhere you get your music. The single is from Steve and Ginie’s upcoming album, Colder Than the Sea, available on May 26th, 2022. The duo will be going on tour through Canada, the USA, and Europe.
Steve and Ginie Jackson are an adorable couple who got to know each other during a joint concert of their respective previous musical groups. Together, they started to dream about traveling and playing music, and they fell in love. Their common dream came true when they built a camper van and left for a 60-day tour across North America. They released their debut album, Leaving For Today, in 2017.
According to Steve and Ginie, their forced confinement during the pandemic turned into the writing of Colder Than the Sea. They believe this album is more mature, more thoughtful, and includes new compositions that has allowed them to grow as musicians. “7 Billion People” is a love song about how the couple realized during lockdown that they don’t need anyone else to be happy—it’s the story of how they helped each other to grow and become better humans.
“7 Billion People” follows the duo’s usual style—a guitar, a mandolin, and two voices, inspired by folk pop, bluegrass, and Irish/Trad influences. Their sound is reminiscent of Mumford and Sons or Peter, Paul, and Mary. In other words, pretty typical folk music. While it’s not the most unique song I have ever heard, it sounds nice and it’s catchy. I can see why Steve and Ginie are popular in the indie scene.
The lyrics are also extremely cute. The main line of the chorus goes, “seven billion people and all I see is you.” Another portion of the song has the lyrics, “I used to be a mess, I never really cared, I was never at my best, I was never really there, […] before I met you, babe.” So sweet, and something I among many people can surely relate to in their own relationships.
Overall, “7 Billion People” isn’t anything revolutionary, but it’s a sweet, catchy song with a lot of heart, especially when you know the band’s story. It always nice to see a couple who went into quarantine together and made it out the other side better than before. The pandemic has been an incredibly difficult time for many people—genuine, feel-good love songs are certainly needed right now. I’m definitely excited to listen to the rest of Colder Than The Sea.