Eighteen continues the mood of its predecessor - How to Be Cool, the first single off of NOMAD. I wanted the song to sound like an 80s birthday party, complete with big chiffon dresses and pink balloons. My main objective was to create almost a satire of a typical American sugar pop song which is what the chorus embodies. Everything is bright, floating, there’s synths playing around and doing runs in the back, all simulating a happy, carefree environment. However, the rest of the song is a complete juxtaposition to that. While the chorus seems to enjoy and celebrate the fact that someone is turning 18, the rest of the song unveils the darker realities behind that picture perfect world. One of my favorite parts of the song is the pre chorus which feels very much angsty and nervous, embodying the anxious feeling you experience when you’re 18: “Go to school and get a degree, get high get drunk in the backseat, you’re running out of time to be free so get high get drunk in the backseat”. These feel sort of like call and response; the first line talks about what young adults feel pressured to do, the second half is their reaction - finding a moment of calm through distraction instead of doing what they should. Overall, my goal with this song (along with How To Be Cool) was to get young people thinking about their life choices. Even if what you’re doing when you’re young doesn't seem like it will have consequences, this is actually the most crucial time of our lives, so as I sing in the song: “Don't waste your time!”.