In a world where image is everything and authenticity often feels like a risk, Varun Sheel’s latest single, “Cool Like You,” hits like a gut-punch beneath the shimmer of indie pop brilliance. It’s catchy, polished, and sonically upbeat—but beneath the glistening surface lies a raw emotional weight. This is a song that smiles through clenched teeth, that dances while it breaks your heart.
The song captures a deeply familiar feeling: the ache of pretending to be someone you’re not in a relationship. Varun doesn’t shy away from the emotional complexity of that experience. Instead, he leans into it with refreshing honesty. As he puts it, “Cool Like You is about the moment where the version of you they love, and the version of you that’s real, feel miles apart.”
It’s an uncomfortable truth that many listeners will recognize instantly. We all mask to some extent in relationships—shaving off parts of ourselves to better fit into someone else’s expectations. But Sheel takes us into the moment where that mask begins to suffocate, and the only choices left are: keep faking it, or risk losing everything by showing up as your true self.
Musically, “Cool Like You” is a genre-blending triumph. There are crisp, disco-style guitars, bouncy 808s, and punchy, modern drums. The sound is light and infectious, like it was made for late-night drives or kitchen dance parties. But it’s that contrast—the tension between sonic joy and emotional vulnerability—that gives the song its staying power.
The production feels effortless, but it’s anything but. It’s clean and dynamic, with melodies that glide over rhythms like breath over water. Sheel’s vocals float in that perfect space between polished and personal—controlled, but not cold; emotional, but never overdone.
This balance is no accident. Raised in a musically rich household by a father trained in Hindustani classical music, Sheel developed a deep understanding of melody, vocal control, and the emotional resonance of sound. Add to that his own love for Western virtuosos like Paul Gilbert and Buckethead, and you begin to understand how he’s built such a hybrid, ambitious sound that straddles both tradition and modernity, East and West.
What makes Varun Sheel truly stand out in the crowded indie pop scene is not just his technical skill or catchy hooks—it’s the way he weaves diasporic identity and emotional depth into every line and beat. His music doesn’t just sound good; it feels real, and “Cool Like You” is a masterclass in balancing both.
There’s also something uniquely cinematic about the track. It moves like a montage scene in a film—the kind where the main character smiles, jokes, and goes to parties, all while quietly unraveling inside. It’s this layered storytelling—both lyrical and musical—that makes “Cool Like You” more than just another pop single.
As listeners, we often forget how powerful it is to hear someone say what we’ve been too afraid to admit. “Cool Like You” gives a voice to that quiet fear—the fear of not being loved for who we truly are. And in doing so, it offers something rare in pop music: a danceable anthem of emotional courage.
In Sheel’s own words, the track explores “the anxiety, the insecurity, the doubt and pressure building up recognizing that the facade is unsustainable.” It’s not just relatable—it’s universal. And when wrapped in such a sleek, head-nodding package, it becomes downright addictive.
“Cool Like You” is a stunning contradiction: it hurts, but it heals. It grooves, but it questions. It sparkles, but it speaks the truth.
With this track, Varun Sheel proves once again that he’s not just a rising voice in indie pop—he’s an essential one. Blending global influences, raw honesty, and sophisticated production, Sheel crafts a sound that’s both modern and meaningful. “Cool Like You” is more than a song—it’s a mirror, a confession, and a bold declaration: You don’t have to be anyone but yourself to deserve love.
Connect with VARUN SHEEL on
English