B-Side Guys

Paradox often holds profound truth. On “Only Thing,” released in March 2025, Wryn discovers that acknowledging life’s perpetual instability might offer the only reliable constancy we can truly count on. This deceptively simple folk meditation delivers a message that resonates with particular significance from an artist whose own journey embodies transformation’s challenging necessity.

The track’s sparse production creates emotional space that allows Wryn’s distinctive vocal quality to take center stage. Minimal instrumentation provides perfect foundation for lyrics that explore the tension between fear of uncertainty and necessity of surrender. When they sing about being “scared of things that I don’t know” while attempting to “foresee what the future holds,” Wryn captures that uniquely human tendency to seek certainty in an inherently unpredictable existence.

The power of “Only Thing” emerges from Wryn’s authentic relationship with profound change. Having undergone significant personal evolution in recent years—including adopting their last name as artistic moniker during a period of gender self-discovery—Wryn brings lived experience to lines about how “change is always on the wind.” This biographical foundation transforms potentially abstract philosophy into earned wisdom, particularly when addressing the struggle of grasping “before I can let go.” Their perspective suggests that releasing control represents not passive resignation but a form of active courage—a distinction that gives the song its emotional resonance.

Most compelling is the track’s central insight that dependable love and personal independence aren’t contradictory but complementary. The lyrical juxtaposition of hoping to “depend on this kind of love/while standing on my own” creates the song’s emotional fulcrum, suggesting that genuine connection requires both trust in another and faith in oneself—a delicate balance that parallels the broader theme of finding stability amid constant fluctuation.

The arrangement demonstrates remarkable restraint, allowing subtle dynamic shifts to carry significant emotional weight. This approach mirrors the song’s thematic exploration of how small internal adjustments—like choosing to “let go” rather than continuing to grasp—can create profound psychological transformation despite appearing externally modest.

In describing the accompanying video, Wryn explains that it literally depicts “rolling with the punches, taking what life hands you in stride,” adding that “at some point, you just have to laugh.” This perspective infuses “Only Thing” with surprising lightness despite its weighty subject matter, suggesting that acceptance isn’t merely philosophical position but practical approach to finding joy amid inevitable uncertainty.

As component of Wryn’s artistic evolution following their album “Shapes”—which processed complex trauma and personal growth—”Only Thing” stands as testament to how embracing change can transform not just individual identity but creative expression itself, offering listeners both comfort in shared struggle and inspiration for their own journeys toward acceptance.