When a multimillion-dollar major-label bidding war erupted in 2018 over an unknown songwriter who could rap, sing, and write hooks and beats, but who was so new there wasn’t any finished music yet, a rumour emerged: Dominic Fike was not what he seemed. He was really a front for a crew of songwriters or other insiders. But Fike is an oh-so-real product of the post-Post Malone world. Born in Naples, Florida in 1995, of Filipino and African-American heritage, the artist swerves between a mellow Jack Johnson beach vibe that suddenly shoots into Frank Ocean-style emotional brokenness. His all-too-human 2020 album debut What Could Possibly Go Wrong put an end to any lingering doubts that he’s anything but a wonder. Fike asks himself, “What’s it like being famous?” on “Good Game” and sings about eating crisp-fried strips of succulent white meat in fancy hotel rooms on “Chicken Tenders.” What makes his lyrics charming is that none of the success seems real to Fike yet as he shyly emerges to explore this brave new world. Meanwhile, the music is fizzy, with the beats constantly shifting and dropping out abruptly. The true reveal is “Vampire,” where Fike sounds wary of night creatures, and on his way to becoming one. But make no mistake: Dominic Fike lives.