“How To Live” - Del Water Gap Single Review

On July 28, 2025, Del Water Gap released the first single off of their much anticipated third album. Riding on the momentum of touring with Niall Horan, as well as headlining their I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet tour, they began teasing their newest album throughout the summer of 2025. “How To Live” is the perfect edition to their discography, building on the soothing indie pop ballads that have brought them into fame.

“How To Live” showcases a playful guitar, keeping the vibes of the song lively and upbeat. The song nearly feels like a haze, with the chorus echoing into listeners’ speakers. It seems light and refreshing in the pop scene. However, a deeper dive into the lyrics reveals the troubles in the singer, S. Holden Jaffe, while he navigates love.

Unlike other love songs, it goes into the complexities of loving when you feel like you are trying to be enough for yourself.

Going through the motions of living with regrets, but still trying to be loyal to the one you love can be a difficult weight to bear. He sees his life as rusty and old with gold underneath it all. However, he is also terrified of letting someone see what lays beneath all the layers of him. Seeing himself in a lens of non-forgiveness and regret, but understanding there is more to life than wallowing about one's past.

Del Water Gap’s “How To Live” is a beautiful and poetic story about modern love, giving listeners a breath of fresh air while still enjoying the indie pop scene. S. Holden Jaffe was able to build on the momentum from last year’s successes, and is paving the way for a successful third album.

LISTEN TO HOW TO LIVE HERE

Written by Joycelyn McClurken