If there was an award for most misleading visuals, it would go to Maren Morris and Julia Michaels. Only a week before its release on June 21st, ‘cut!’ was announced on social media with a picture of Michaels sitting next to a kitchen table and Morris standing on top of it with a chainsaw. Other visuals showed Morris’ smashing a vase and both singers shattering glasses with their hands.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if the duo released a killer break-up song, especially since Michaels is also known for ‘All Your Exes’. Even though the announcement pushes you in this direction, the song is the complete opposite: heartwarming and sweet.
Both artists are familiar with vulnerable songwriting. It’s also not the first time they team up: Michaels and Morris previously worked together on Morris’ song ‘Circles Around This Town’. With the release of ‘cut!’ we can only hope the duo will work together on new projects, as their compatible songwriting and sound mix incredibly well in this song.
‘cut!’ is a mental empowerment song, talking about the fact that as long as we’re around people, everything seems to be fine. But as soon as we’re alone, we let it all out. It’s therapeutic to listen to a song that encourages you to feel the way you feel and sing along with it on top of your lungs. It’s beautifully summed up in the lyric ‘’Cry my eyes out, I give myself permission. Every good show needs an intermission’’.
Since mental problems and social pressure are still topics that aren’t talked about enough, it’s comforting that Morris and Michaels make song like ‘cut!’ to assure you that it’s okay to not be okay.
Written by: Kelly Zwiers
Edited by: Marieke Weeda
