Vau releases dreamy bittersweet single / The Meanest Child

We hate Swedish radio.

Okay, ‘maybe’ we’re being somewhat dramatic, dislike would be more appropriate, but knowing a song as good as this won’t get regular airplay on Swedish radio causes extreme frustration.

However, our petulant attitude also reflects this song’s title – The Meanest Child – a sublime soulful single by Vau (pronounced WOW).

The Meanest Child opens with guitar chords that echo like waves coming to shore. Calming and hypnotic, this dreamy single comes alive with Vau’s tender vocals. Singer/songwriter and producer Vau, previously known as Bac Nini, opens her heart with poetic lyrics of her recollection of how mean and bullying children can be. She wonders if the child ever lives regretfully. While it tells memories of hurtful experiences, Vau’s mellow tones delivers stoic resilience and hope.

She was the meanest child
Back in 1999
Brown hair and shiny eyes
A little devil in disguise

She gave scars for life
Made children cry at night
But what did she dream about
The meanest child

The sun will shine on evil children too
The wintertime will make them shiver too
She’s grown up now
Lives in a tiny house
She has her own children now
I wonder how they turned out

She must be in her thirties now (she must be in her thirties now, she must have grown like you and I)
Does she get what she wants outta life
And does she ever think about (does it ever cross her mind that she was once a nasty child)
That she was the meanest child

The sun will shine on evil children too
The wintertime will make them shiver too

Woman on vintage chair — Turning her painful past into a beauty future. Picture by Moncef Henaien.

Classed as ‘indie bedroom’ or ‘chilled Scandinavian soul’ it’s a perfect bittersweet track, flowing with spiritual calm and tinged with sadness.

We strongly suggest you have headphones on and close your eyes!

If you love Nordic bands like Quadron, Furns or Yehra, you’ll feel at home here. We can only hope that more people will listen to The Meanest Child and appreciate a song of such beauty in this age of musical overload.

It would be a shame that such an outstanding song did not get the recognition it deserves.