It feels so long ago when the days of “Teen Beach Movie” captured our prepubescent hearts as the characters of Maia Mitchell and Ross Lynch fell into a cheeky love story. If you’re looking to return to those hot summer days with blossoming crushes and sun-tanned memories, Stephen Sanchez, also known as The Troubadour, has released his new single, “Baby Blue Bathing Suit” that feels like a “Teen Beach Movie” for young adults. Though straying away from his notable use of soft rock and blues and feeling slightly like a generic pop song, Sanchez’s soulful voice will convince you that this song is worth the listen on a long summer night — possibly after its fifth repeat.
“Baby Blue Bathing Suit” begins with a bouncy tune as it creates a blissful tone for those warm summer days. Sanchez’s gentle voice is heard in the first few seconds as he recalls memories of his past sweetheart, “It feels like yesterday that we were flyin’ / Can’t go back to her, but I’ll keep tryin’.”
Sanchez is deliberate in his lyrics as he has been in previous projects, most notably in his storyline with Evangeline in his Troubadour lore. His songs always praise the girl that has caught his eye, and “Baby Blue Bathing Suit” is no different. The pre-chorus compares his sweetheart to heaven: “’Cause the older I get, the more that it’s true / That Heaven’s a girl in a baby blue bathing suit.” The pace of the song quickens as he pours his heart out to this girl, focusing on her features such as the color of her eyes, her hair and the sun-tan glow of her skin.
The track’s chorus is filled with instrumentals that make the rhythm exuberant with fun and glee. It’s upbeat and purposeful as it seems that Sanchez wants this single to be the new summer hit of 2024. Similar to other projects like “Grease” and “Teen Beach Movie” where two youngsters find love on hot summer days, Sanchez perfectly captures this typical retro love story in his new track.
The song’s bridge acknowledges how memorable summer loves can be, “Sweet memories / Oh, they’re calling my name / Putting me back to sleep / I wanna dream all day / ‘Cause summer’s the place where I met you / The reason I cannot forget you.”
Sanchez also debuted a music video for the single and it’s what you would imagine for a song that alludes to the beach. Acting as a lifeguard, Sanchez is seen singing his heart out to a girl in — you guessed it — a baby blue bathing suit. They end up in what seems to be a cringey meet-cute moment as they slowly begin to fall in love. Day then turns into night, and the young couple is seen dancing under the stars in what feels like a retro teen musical where bonfires crackle and first kisses are given. The video perfectly captures the essence of the song and further recognizes Sanchez’s creativity with his use of visuals in tune with his lyrics.
Verdict: “Baby Blue Bathing Suit” might grow on listeners eventually, but it’s a joyful song that will bring lush memories of summer romances and kisses on the beach back to life.
