A lot has happened with Khalid since he dropped his 2024 set Sincere just over a year ago. Perhaps the most notable is that the singer-songwriter is now out and proud with a seemingly brighter outlook on life. Maybe that’s why he’s already on to the next project with the announcement that his upcoming album after the sun goes down will arrive in the coming months. Before its arrival, though, he’s leading us into this new era with the lead single “in plain sight.”
The track, which is produced by Mattman & Robin, Savan Kotecha and ILYA, has a dance party feel thanks to hand claps and bright synths that lead it off. It then kicks into a shuffling groove reminiscent of early Craig David while adding electronic string stabs and a funky bass into the mix to keep the vibes going.
The subject matter isn’t as happy-go-lucky, though. In fact, it might be a bit autobiographical as it somewhat touches on some of the personal scandal he once endured. The song finds him confronting a seemingly unfaithful lover before kicking them to the curb for the slights they’ve made. He brings up some of his suspicions and receipts on the verses before getting into the nitty-gritty on the chorus.
“Oh, I got so much to tell you / ’Cause somethin’ ain’t right / Should’ve saw it comin’ / (Hiddеn in front of me) In plain sight,” he sings. “The lies that you sеll me / Deceit in your eyes / Should’ve saw it comin’.”
The song’s video picks up on the dichotomy of the song’s feel and lyrics. We meet a blue-haired Khalid on a soundstage lit to take on many varied hues. He’s not alone, however, as a sea of dancers are there to get their party on to the song’s infectious rhythm. While everyone’s having fun, the singer takes a few scenes by himself to get what he’s feeling off his chest. His mood doesn’t last long, however, as he gets into the fray to enjoy himself before the song slows into a ’90s R&B moment and the video takes the opportunity to mimic the era before fading to black.
If “in plain sight” is representative of what the album entails, we think that Khalid might be in rare form on after the sun goes down. We’ll find out soon enough with the album’s release date set for Friday, October 10th. Get into the song and video right here, and then hang out a bit to see the cover for after the sun goes down.
