Romano Graf’s newest single is a bluesy piece with immense character, fantastic lyrics, and a gravitational pull to its chill groove and enticing darkness that kept me wanting more the more I dove into its lush-but-simplistic atmosphere.
Romano Graf is a singer and songwriter based in the Swiss town of Beringen. Also going by the moniker Authority Imagination, Graf is an exceptional songwriter and lyricist who takes cues from his own personal life to pen down touching stories with stirring conclusions. ‘Strong Than the Pain’ seems to be autobiographical in its deep description of Graf’s diagnosis with autoimmune disease in 2023, and how writing music has been helping him cope and overcome this massive hurdle.
Taking pride also in being a single father, and in all the challenges that come with it, Graf’s music is moving and full of soul. The bluesy chants of ‘Strong Than the Pain’ pulls you in the song’s intro, before the litany of autotuned melodies arrive alongside the noodling blues guitar in the background. The melancholic chorus and its unforgettable hook is addictive, and the contrast between its driving groove, and the tighter, more compact verses creates an amazing drive that makes the song incredibly engaging.
‘Strong Than the Pain’ is a well calculated piece of heartfelt blues with its fair share of pop appeal that makes it such a relatable and fun song to sit through. An amazing addition to the singer’s steadily growing catalog.