Marshmello has been riding a wave of crazy momentum over the past 18 months, and his latest song — “Silence,” featuring Texas teenager Khalid — might be the one that pushes him firmly into the mainstream.
Crossing into the pop charts is a tricky balance for many dance music producers, because it often involves the appearance of “selling out” in fans’ eyes — at least in terms of the artist’s style.
But “Silence” retains most characteristics of a Marshmello song — happy brightness mixed with a hip-hop beat — except it’s smooth enough to be palatable to Top 40 pop radio stations. Personally, I hope mainstream radio gives it a chance.
Khalid’s vocals are, of course, the star attraction here. You wouldn’t expect anything less from this quickly rising talent, whose soulful tone is clearly beyond his years. Meanwhile, Marshmello does excellent work in blending in enough of his style to make sure you know he’s there — but he seems content to stay in the background on this one.
That’s why, taken as a whole, “Silence” is Marshmello’s most complete song yet. And it deserves to end up being his most popular, too.
Check out the lyric video for “Silence” below and get ready to put it on repeat: