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Dec 02, 2022 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Jenaya Okpalanze

Australian songwriter and producer KESMAR (aka Nathan Hawes) makes a breezy brand of indie, splitting the difference between lo-fi bedroom pop and soft-hued vintage pop bliss. He debuted in 2019 with his Up To You EP and followed last year with his latest project, the Forever Holiday EP. This year, he followed with a pair of new singles, bringing forth sun-lit charm on “Out Of Luck” and a disco-tinged shimmer on “Day by Day.” Today, he’s back with another new single, “Change My Name,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Change My Name” once again finds Hawes returning to the well of ‘70s radio grooves for inspiration, in the process delivering a sunny reprieve from cold winter days. The swinging backbeat and buoyant piano lines are replete with effortless charm, bound together by the warm organic feel of the analog production style. Meanwhile, Hawes’ melodies and immensely catchy chorus add an undeniable pop element. Hawes doesn’t just emulate those ‘70s songwriting classics, he adds to them with his own talent for warm-hearted melodicism.

Hawes explains of the track, “This song is about not being there for a friend; it took me a while to realize but somewhere along the way I did them wrong. Writing this song was part of the healing experience.”

Check out the song and accompanying self-directed video below, and stream the track here, out everywhere now via Nettwerk.