Shelter (Finneas song)

"Shelter" was first written back in 2016 by Finneas.[1][2] He had heard that Swedish musician Avicii was looking for songs to produce. Following on from this, Finneas wrote the track and sent it to Avicii's team.[2][3][4][5] Finneas has confessed that he doesn't know if Avicii ever heard it.[2] "Shelter" was released as the third single from Finneas' debut EP Blood Harmony for digital download and streaming, through his record label OYOY on August 22, 2019.[3] The track was written and produced by Finneas.[3]

Critical commentary described "Shelter" as a pop-based track.[3][6] The track features a tropical beat, electric guitar, Latin-based guitars, drum beats, gospel choir effect[s] that appear during the chorus, reverb'd handclaps, bluesy vocal embellishment, and rapid phrasing in the bridge.[3][7][8] Tosten Burks, writing for Spin magazine, noted the track sounds like an Ed Sheeran song.[7] He further commented that the track is built around some "urgent acoustic guitar strumming" and a "plucky melody" which is very similar to the marimba line in Sheeran's number one hit "Shape of You" (2017), and is set in a dance tempo.[7] Lyrically, the track is about a lover that brings Finneas peace but has an undercurrent of trouble. He represents the trouble with the lyrics, "They call us lucky/But I think we might be cursed/'Cause the way you love me/I could drink the river dry, still die of thirst".[9] The mood of the track becomes more urgent as it continues: "Give me, give me shelter/From the storm/Give me, give me shelter/ Keep me warm/I don't wanna think about a life without you/I don't wanna go to war but I'm about to".[9]

"Shelter" was met with mainly positive reviews from music critics. Writing for Substream Magazine, Valerie Magan described the track as "vulnerable", "heartbreak-tinged" and "easygoing".[4] Ben Kay of Consequence of Sound noted that "Shelter" was "considerably brighter than the material [Finneas] produces for his sister Billie Eilish".[3] Madeline Roth of MTV labeled the track as a "galvanic, acoustic guitar-driven number".[9] Will Richards of NME called the song "vibrant" and "huffling", while mentioning that its "production saves its average lyrics".[6] Nicole Almeida of Atwood Magazine stated that the song it "prolongs the theme of love, and is a high energy, radio-ready take on seeing someone as your safe haven", and he called the production on the song a "remarkable offering a fresh take on a pop anthem about being way too deep in love".[10] Writing for the American Songwriter, Paul Zollow labeled the track as "buoyant" and "uptempo".[11] Tanis Smither of Earmilk mentioned the song has an "infectious energy".[8]

A music video for "Shelter" was directed by Sam Bennett and was uploaded to Finneas' YouTube channel on September 30, 2019.[12] The video was directed by Sam Bennett and choreographed by Monika Felice Smith, while it was shot in one take.[13] The visual begins with Finneas frantically walking along the Los Angeles river as groups of dancers try to interrupt his journey. "They call us lucky / But I think we might be cursed / 'Cause the way you love me / I could drink the river dry, still die of thirst." Finneas cries as the dancers try to tug and toss him roughly around the empty riverbed, as well as mobbing him.[14] Roth compared the visual to the 1978 film '"Grease, while praising the choreography, which she described as "elaborate" and "impressive".[13]

Finneas toured throughout the United States during October 2019, in support of Blood Harmony.[5] "Shelter" was one of the tracks from the EP that he performed live during the tour.[5] In October 2019, Finneas performed "Shelter" at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, being backed up by a live band.[15]