Australian singer/songwriter, Ruel, released his new single “As Long As You Care” as the start of his new era with his new EP “Bright Lights, Red Eyes” coming out on October 23, 2020. Ruel has not released his own music since September of 2019, so this release was a big deal for him and his fans.

A little less than a week before the single’s release, Ruel started posting teasers on his Twitter and Instagram with the caption “alayc.” These teasers sent his fans into a frenzy to say the least and Twitter was filled with fans trying to figure out what this “alayc” meant. Around every other day, more and more teasers were released with different costumes and even eras of time. Fans have not been getting much content from the singer, so getting all of these videos was crazy.

This new EP also brought a whole new “alternative universe” called “RuelVision,” a TV network with different shows starring Ruel as different characters. Thirty minutes before the music video premiered, a preview to “RuelVision,” which has since been taken down, was released on YouTube. After watching this preview, it was easy to tell this new era is going to be very 1960s-1970s themed. It showed on an old TV with dials and an antenna and the colors are very 70s, light greens, oranges, yellows, browns. 

As for the actual song, I LOVED it. It reminded me of one of his other songs “Painkiller.”The beat was so happy and so catchy. The bridges of Ruel’s songs are always my favorite part and this song was not any different. Hearing the bridge makes me so happy and so excited to hear the rest of the song. The chorus also repeats the phrase, “Bright lights and red eyes,” which happens to be the name of the EP. The song is about what it is like to tour all over the world. “Sometimes, got me working like a broke machine, Bad advice, it’s why I keep on coming home again,” is one of my favorite lyrics. I think it really shows what can happen when artists tour and I think that is very important for normal people to hear.

I’ve listened to the song at least 20 times since it came out and already know almost all of the words. It has a very 1970s sound in my opinion. It just makes you want to get up and dance.

I think everyone should go and listen to this song wherever they get their music from. It’s such a happy tune which I think we all need during a time like this. I can tell the new EP is gonna be great, and I cannot wait.