A Million Reasons to Listen to A Million Ways

Music Review: “Million Ways” by Saving Forever

James Mulkern, Contributor

Saving Forever is a new pop rock band of three teenage brothers: thirteen-year-old singer Khaden Harris, fifteen-year-old bassist Kye Harris, and sixteen-year-old guitarist Kavah Harris. Raised in the Chicago Southland suburbs, the Harris boys got their musical start when their grandmother taught them to play classical piano when they each turned four. Over time, the three eventually learned to play multiple instruments. 

Their biggest musical inspirations are Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Kravitz, and Michael Jackson and a variety of different music genres inspired them, from hip-hop to blues to jazz to rock.  

The boys were exposed to rock music from video games on their Sony PlayStation. “Ozzy Osbourne, Hollywood Undead, Twenty-One Pilots, Paramore- they were dope to us,” Kye says. “Sometimes we’d bring our PSP just to listen to music,” Khaden recalls. “We’d listen through the headphones. We wouldn’t even play the games.” 

In April 2017, Saving Forever performed onstage for an Epic Records showcase at the exclusive Peppermint Club in West Hollywood. The crowd instantly fell in love with the trio’s set of catchy alt-pop-rock originals. The band released an original single “Million Ways” in April 2017, alongside a music video. After listening to the song, it is clear that Saving Forever hopes to stand out in the rock industry and is determined to make a strong name for themselves. 

What truly gives “Million Ways” its sheer brilliance is the musical performance. Kye Harris, as the bassist, provides a strong tune for the majority of the song before the groovier and more energetic beat kicks in. The guitarist, Kavah Harris, adds to the liveliness of the dynamic beat. The song contains plenty of guitar and bass akin to older rock music as well as a lot of modern instruments and beat, culminating with a very well-rounded song overall. 

“Million Ways” truly is a musical highlight for the year. 

— James Mulkern

The well-roundedness of “Million Ways” is also what makes it distinct, when compared to other music of this era. Most new songs heard on the radio contain a lot of digital, electronic tunes and beats and more traditional instruments like the guitar, bass, and violin are usually unused. “Million Ways” is a notable exception as it takes rock music inspired by older musicians and adds a satisfying pop beat, so multiple demographics can enjoy the song. 

The song’s lyrics are provided by Khaden Harris and partially Kye Harris. The lyrics are simplistic and give out a feeling of optimism. For example, the lyrics of the first verse are “Hey, love. I’m sorry that you hate love. I know that it can be tough, but let’s figure it out.” It is implied through the lyrics that any conflict can be examined and resolved. Another notable set of lyrics is “Baby, what’s the problem? I’ve got a million ways that I can solve them.” This conveys the message that every problem can be solved in a variety of methods. There is a minimal number of lyrics in the song, however, as there are only two verses along with a pre-chorus and the chorus, when the dynamic beat arrives. The stellar music performance often overshadows the lyrics. 

The boys believe that the best part about Saving Forever is being in a band with their brothers. Kye says, “It’s about the bond we have with each other. When we’re onstage, I know what the others are going to do. If Khaden can’t make the note, I’ll go ahead and sing something under him.”  

The chemistry between the three is shown in the song “Million Ways.” Kye sings the first verse, then Khaden goes on to sing the rest of the song, while Kavah adds to the tune by playing guitar. The unbreakable teamwork shown in the band results in an impressive single can appeal to many audiences. 

Saving Forever’s “Million Ways” is a strong start to a career that has a lot of potential. With a distinct, powerful, music performance combining guitar and bass with a strong beat, lyrics that convey a simple, meaningful message about conflicts and resolutions, the pop-rock tune leaves a strong first impression of what the band has to offer. If there were any possible flaws, it could be that the lyrics are sometimes too repetitive. However, the music surrounding it is so strong that it is hard to look at that as a significant flaw. When compared to the majority of modern songs on the radio, “Million Ways” overshadows them all in terms of diversity and musical performance.  

It is outrageous that this band is not getting the attention it deserves as they have the potential to impress thousands of audiences. “Million Ways” truly is a musical highlight for the year.