“If I Ever” by Conor Maynard is a veritable pop masterpiece. The production is crisp. The vocals are emotively delivered. The songwriting is brilliant. The song alone is touching and memorable enough–but just wait until you see the music video. If you’ve ever gone through a breakup and wondered what would’ve happened if you’d stayed together, or if some little moment could’ve changed the course of your relationship entirely, you’re about to have your mind blown. Displayed on a split screen, we watch as two separate scenarios unfold, one defined by a devastating breakup, and the other the continuation of a seemingly happy relationship–but don’t be fooled. The ending will surprise you in a delightful or devastating way, depending on which side of the screen you’re most invested in.
Let’s take a small moment to sing the praises of the song itself. Conor Maynard has an authentic musicality to him–you can just hear it in his voice. Plus, the dynamic value of the song gives it a fantastic arc. You’re either swimming in an explosion of synths or trotting alongside a quiet, steady electric guitar. Either way, the instrumentation always serves the emotional integrity of the song.
As for the video, the plotline adds so much to the lyrics, you won’t be able to look away. On one side, we watch as a couple breaks up over some perceived cheating. The man spends many scenes doing things alone that he used to do with his partner. On the other side, he ignores the signs of cheating and continues to spend joyful moments with her. As this all occurs, we’re left woefully comparing the emotions in both scenarios. To our shock, however, she ends up cheating on him in the end anyway, and the other side ends with our main character meeting someone new and exciting.
If that’s not enough to convince you that Conor Maynard is an artist to look out for, then check out his other work too. He’s a musically and stylistically gifted artist–no doubt about it.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
