Tom Tippin’s new single “Olympic Medalist” is a masterstroke in confessional songwriting. With a title that sounds almost like a punchline, the track takes a deeply self-critical moment and spins it into something cathartic and universally relatable. At first glance, it may look like a victory anthem in the traditional sense, but it’s actually an anthem for those who’ve felt like they’re losing at life but are still showing up anyway.
Driven by heavy, deliberate drumbeats and gentle strumming guitars, Tippin’s warm voice is the centerpiece, grounded in emotion. He stays calm, even as he describes spiraling thoughts, anxiety, and long-held self-doubt. “If this shit was a competition / Of who’s the most likely to lose their mind before twenty-five / I’d be running away with the gold,” he sings, with wryness. That contrast of the exaggerated metaphor of an Olympic medalist for being a failure shows how big and overwhelming internal pain can feel in the moment, in shades of levity and critique.
The production doesn’t overcomplicate things, and that’s its strength. The song leans into shimmering organic textures—sparkling guitar tones, a steady rhythmic pulse—allowing Tippin’s emotional narrative to lead. There’s authenticity in every line, not just in the words themselves, but in the way they’re sung—relaxed, raw, and with just enough ache to resonate deeply.
Tippin’s interview reveals the heart behind the song, “It’s about that moment when the whole world feels like it’s caving in on you.” That message lands hard here. “Olympic Medalist” is one such coping strategy that shows that naming the darkness is part of surviving it. Listen to it on Spotify.
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Photo by Samuel Greenhill
Review by: Naomi Joan