Maddox Lim, the lead singer of Los Angeles’ indie-rockers Rooted, has unveiled a new single as part of his solo debut with the release of “Hollow Dreams.” It’s the first song the 13-year-old singer/songwriter has shared outside the project he formed with his friends and reveals the young musician as one of prodigious talent. With an ear for soaring melodics and equipped with the kind of earnest vocals that make an anthem of any song they’re on, Lim manages in defiance of his years to create songs imbued with surprising emotional depth.
In “Hollow Dreams,” that astuteness is revealed in the way he harvests songs less from direct personal experience and more from second-hand observation. From the drama inherent in middle school to the “puppy-eyed” crushes that develop, Lim has no trouble imagining or empathizing with the scenes of adolescence he illustrates. With “Hollow Dreams” he reminds us of the universal nature of such moments, honing in particular on a heartbreaking lack of communication that starts to taint the relationship of those involved. “Talk to me, let me feel complete / Hollow dreams are all you’ve left in me,” Lim coos desperately over the song’s tender rhythms.
In the music video for “Hollow Dreams,” directed by Mario Visions, the scene Lim sings about is played out in the retro-gleaming confines of a diner. As he sits alone at the table, the empty space across from him a deepening void, he pines over memories of a love gone cold. It’s a heart-aching juxtaposition — one made all the more so by the film’s explanation for their split: a text that reveals she’s moving. It’s the kind of roadblock that’s seemingly contained to youth, a time when you are at the whim of your parents and are forced to go wherever they do, but it’s also a reminder that even as you grow up life presents plenty of challenges to maintaining such relationships.
“‘Hollow Dreams’ is about the relationships we struggle with in our lives,” Lim explained. “Whether between family members or friends, our loved ones are the ones who bring us the most joy but also the most disappointment and pain.”
Visit Maddox Lim on his Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Words by Steven Ward
Watch the music video for “Hollow Dreams” the new single from Maddox Lim below!
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