New York artist Colarte brings together pop and R&B on his new single “shine ur light,” a high-energy track created specifically for his debut appearance on On The Radar. Born Michael Raul Colarte, the 24-year-old has spent the past several years developing a sound he describes as “Justin Bieberlake,” bringing together two of his biggest influences, Justin Bieber and Justin Timberlake. The latter can particularly be heard on “shine ur light,” with Colarte and his collaborators looking to Timberlake’s “Summer Love” for inspiration.
The track opens with layered synths that gradually build before a toe-tapping beat kicks in and shifts things up a gear. Bold synths, punchy beats and plenty of different textures give the song a confident, sexy feel, with Colarte matching that energy vocally. He moves between smooth melodies and flashes of falsetto, layering his vocals across the production and bringing a playful edge to the lyrics. It’s the kind of track that makes you want to turn the volume all the way up, whether you’re getting ready to go out or playing it in the car with friends.
That confidence carries over visually in his performance. Colarte spends much of it staring directly into the camera, delivering every word with an edge that fits the attitude of the song. It’s even more impressive considering “shine ur light” was created from scratch after he found out about the opportunity just two weeks beforehand, with the song written, produced, recorded and mixed in a single day. Outside of “shine ur light,” Colarte is currently building out his “123” universe, a three-part EP series connected to the angel numbers that have become part of his wider identity and branding. The first instalment, vo1ume one, is already out, with volume 2wo set to follow next.