Wellington ensemble TOI shared “We Got This”, the second single from their forthcoming new album, last week.
The seven-piece constructed a blissfully summery anthem, mixing laidback vocals and breezy guitars together. Eternally feel-good and hopeful, the funky song’s lyrics echo the title: “never give up on yourself,” sings Conway Jeune. We do, indeed, “got this.”
“”We Got This” is about keeping your head up and never losing hope in yourself,” the band say. “It’s a message of resilience, self-belief, and the importance of staying true to oneself despite challenges and external pressures.”
And don’t call it COVID art, but the pandemic definitely played a part in the song’s creation. “We wrote this tune right in the heat of COVID lockdowns and were sharing a sort of distorted uneasy feeling of the current reality and change of the social climate,” TOI add.
“COVID had a heavy effect on everyone’s lives and we felt this hardship. But we also felt that it wouldn’t last, and that we needed to keep our heads up and not lose our sense of self and hope.”
“We go through hard times too, but are lucky to have a medium like music to express ourselves. We want to give a big shout out to our crew that helped us to bring this tune and message to fruition – we couldn’t do this without you all!”
In the music video, premiering on Rolling Stone AU/NZ today, TOI’s seven members enjoy a relaxed performance of their song, direct from their “humble stu, Te Māra.”
“We Got This” follows previous single, the soulful “Essence”, and both will feature on their new album. According to TOI, “We Got This” is “just the start of what we think is an exciting and diverse collection of music to come.”
TOI’s “We Got This” is out now.
