When I was watching the trailer to Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, I spotted someone that looked like Rita Ora half way through it. I thought to myself “surely not”, but I was wrong, it was her. The UK singer/songwriter/actress and entrepreneur has a guest role in the massive live action film, and on top of that she’s recorded the lead single for the soundtrack. ‘Carry On’ hears her teaming up with Kygo for a average at best dance-pop song. The track fails to create anything innovative or different unlike ‘Anywhere’. It melodically sits somewhere between ‘Lonely Together’ and ‘Let You Love Me’ and screams “already been done”. The tropical soaked beat-drop is anti-climatic and tries to ride that deliberate underwhelming dance sound that has done so well on radio recently. The keys during the verses are very reminiscent of ‘Your Song’ and ‘Let You love Me’ and kinda take away from the feel of it
Lyrically the song is quite simple and plays with the overused idea of correlating the ocean and moving on from someone you love together. “You, you found me. Made me into something new. Led me through the deepest waters. I promise loud to carry on for you”. I just don’t hear anything new or different and that upsets me. However because it has an easily likeable hook with something that radio is going to love, it will probably be a hit. And that’s a shame because I know that both Rita and Kygo could’ve done something more memorable and innovative than this.