“80’s Kind of Sad” Tears Are Just's new single
- Ace Sway
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
Tears Are Just Glitter might be a brand-new name, but its creators are anything but newcomers. The Swedish powerhouse duo Gustav Jonsson and Fredrik Berger—the hitmakers behind records for Zara Larsson, Icona Pop, Charli XCX, Hayley Kiyoko, Erik Hassle and more—return with a fresh project and a character-driven pop universe centered around their digital protagonist, Gary. Think Gorillaz, but custom-made for lovers of neon nostalgia, synth dreams, and heartbreak that sparkles.
Their new single, “80’s kind of sad,” is a two-minute-forty-second joyride through pastel-painted melancholy; a reminder of a time when even heartbreak wore shoulder pads and shimmered. As the duo puts it, “The advantage of living a superficial life is that the knife of sorrow can’t cut you that deep.” And that ethos pulses through every beat of the track.
Musically, the song blends soft rock, synth-pop, electronic pop, and smooth male vocals into something that feels both retro and impeccably fresh. Japanese drum-machine grooves meet dreamy synth pads, creating the perfect backdrop for Gary’s technicolor heartbreak.
Check the lyrics, “80’s kind of sad” is a real mood board. The track opens with a wave of melodramatic nostalgia—“Singing with the sad boys, crying heart’s out, staring through your window…”—before tumbling into a kaleidoscope of Walkmans, boom boxes, summer sunsets, and empty beds. The hook lands like cotton candy heartbreak: “So 80’s kind of sad, the best I ever had… cranked up ’til my neighbors drop.”
Yet beneath the glitter lies emotional truth. Let’s pick random lines like “Colorful grief, that’s what I need… tears are just glitter shining like stars” showcase the duo’s gift for turning sadness into spectacle, a heartbreak you can dance through with polyester confidence and Ray-Bans too bright for the neon glow.
Gustav and Fredrik describe Tears Are Just Glitter as their most personal project to date, despite being fronted by a cartoon. Made entirely by hand in their Södermalm studio, the track radiates authenticity beneath its playful surface. A breakup never sounded this vibrant. And if this debut is any indication, Tears Are Just Glitter might just be the glistening heartbreak heroes pop didn’t know it needed.
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