“Can We Pretend?” by Bazarian is extremely relatable. Singing about fantasizing, creating movies, about what life could be, Bazarian creates a masterpiece through his lyrics and soundtrack. With his own spin on it, Bazarian has “all of the characters [in] the official video [...] share the main character’s face.”
The opening soundtrack of “Can We Pretend?” is slow and gradual, playing on for a while before lyrics are sung. The soundtrack is similar to one in movies when the camera pans to show the lives and actions of each character. Connected to Bazarian’s message, the opening soundtrack is calming, potentially causing the listener to ponder their own life and what they want.
Throughout the song, Bazarian’s lyrics are accompanied mainly by a piano and slow drum beats. The instruments complement and augment the story of the lyrics. The listener focuses on the meaning of the lyrics rather than get lost in the noise of the sound track. Adding more instruments for the chorus, the additional electric sounds and beats give it a more energetic feel, making the chorus stand out from the rest of the song. Bazarian also incorporates the occasional horn sounding throughout the song like signalling the awakening of a new realization.
One lyric that stood out was about the sun. Bazarian sings: “the sun will fade away, your warmth will take its place.” The imagery really stood out to me. Contrasting the overall melancholy vibe of the song of wanting what isn’t true to become true, the message about the sun conveyed the importance of the other person. The person becomes the sun and provides life and reason for the one in love.
Another lyric that stood out to me was: “I’m making up movies inside my head, watching them over and over again.” This line was really relatable as I do the same thing. Similar to the lyric about the sun, Bazarian is once again able to create a powerful image through his lyrics. The listener is able to picture and create their own movie of the story Bazarian is telling.
Bazarian’s voice gives “Can We Pretend?” a longingly, nostalgic sentiment and incorporates the perfect soundtrack to accentuate his message. “Can We Pretend?” reminded me heavily of one of my favorite bands: the 1975.
Bazarian is the moniker of Armenian-Canadian Armen Bazarian. Through his songs, Bazarian tells a story from multiple perspectives about our world’s social fabric.
By Anne Friedman
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