EJ’s latest single, “Fancy Car,” tears down the boulevard of modern pop-rock with its engine roaring, a youthful cry of love, rejection, and desperation burning in its exhaust. Set to drop May 23 as part of The Storm, the second chapter in his conceptual trilogy, the Orlando-based singer-songwriter delivers an infectious, emotionally charged anthem that captures the anxiety of not feeling good enough in a world obsessed with appearances.
The track opens with a lyrical gut-punch:
“All of my life / I’ve been waiting / all alone like a loaded gun.”
It’s a vivid start, full of tension and yearning, setting the stage for a story of heartbreak wrapped in adrenaline. There’s an urgency that pulses throughout the song, reinforced by a driving beat and sharp guitar licks that pull heavily from ’80s rock tradition — think John Hughes-era teen angst with a modern production polish. The result is a track that feels both nostalgic and current, a radio-ready catharsis for a generation raised on contradictions.
At its heart, “Fancy Car” is a love song filtered through insecurity and disillusionment. The chorus — catchy enough to echo in your head for days — hints at fantasy as both escape and illusion:
“Oh maybe she’ll want me / if we steal a fancy car / and maybe she’ll love me / if I give her everything that she wants.”
https://open.spotify.com/track/4cQPmBMQ1Cs10RJtWSmck5
EJ’s lyrics hit a nerve, portraying a love that feels transactional and fragile, wrapped in consumerist longing and self-erasure. There’s a resigned sadness when he sings,
“I’m a zombie and I’m waiting downstairs,”
conjuring the image of a man who’s lost himself entirely in the pursuit of someone else’s affection.
It’s this emotional vulnerability that gives the song its power — but let’s not overlook the musicianship. The guitar solo, a soaring, electrifying burst of fretwork glory, feels like a love letter to the glam and grit of the 1980s. It’s not just a solo; it’s a statement — EJ reminding us that rock and roll isn’t dead, it’s just evolving.
As the second single from The Storm, “Fancy Car” acts as a thematic cornerstone for EJ’s evolving trilogy, which began with 2023’s The Fantasy and will culminate in the upcoming full-length The Aftermath. The narrative arc across these releases traces the collision of idealism and reality — a reflection of EJ’s own journey through heartbreak, mental health struggles, and the pressures of living up to curated expectations.
EJ, who got his start playing the Whisky A Go Go at 14 alongside Guns N’ Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed, has come a long way from his early recordings at the legendary Studio 606. But the heart of that teenager still beats under the gloss: emotional, raw, and chasing meaning in a chaotic world.
“Fancy Car” is more than just a single — it’s a snapshot of a soul searching for authenticity in a world of façades. And as EJ hurtles through empty streets calling out a lover’s name, you can’t help but root for him — loud, haunted, and heartbreakingly human.
Gwen Waggoner