‘Afraid to Try’ by John Keenan perfectly captures the tension between longing and fear. The song is the first track on his album, ‘Wreckage of the Past’, and it plays out with an energetic vibe and rap that doesn’t beat around the bush, but gets straight to the point.
Hailing from Kansas, John Keenan is a producer and artist who draws from genres like hip-hop and rap. His songs are known for telling stories with lyrics that feel raw and authentic, standing out in an industry that is filled with too much noise. At its core, ‘Afraid to Try’ is a song about hesitation that comes from the fear of failure, and something that will hold you back from achieving what you dream of.
The song is built of atmospheric synth layers that give it a film-like filter. It acts as an airy and light canvas for the lyrics, which hold a lot of weight, and helps the track not sound very overwhelming. The rap is direct and emotional, thrown in a rhythm, but it plays out like a confession. The artist is able to capture a feeling that we all have felt– the self-doubt that cripples the good things in our lives. He acknowledges that fear, and also acknowledges the yearning that comes with it.
It’s a track you’ll keep coming back to, because hearing it once is not enough. You can listen to the track ‘Afraid to Try’ by John Keenan on popular platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
