REVIEW: Kylie Cantrall Gets Personal With Her Sophomore EP ‘Valley Girl Problems’
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY KIE WHITE ☆
THE HEARTBREAK OF LOSING A FRIENDSHIP—is a pain like no other, and Kylie Cantrall captures that feeling beautifully on her sophomore EP, Valley Girl Problems. At a time when so many songs focus on romantic relationships, Cantrall puts a fresh spin on the narrative by exploring platonic breakups. Compared to her first EP, B.O.Y. (Better Off Young), listeners experience a deeper side of Cantrall and see how she has matured both as an artist and as a person.
Throughout the EP, Cantrall tells the story of someone who puts so much faith in another person that they’re blinded to the truth. Only after accepting that truth can they begin to move on and embrace change. Alongside Cantrall’s beautiful vocals and lyricism is producer Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, who is behind hits such as “Umbrella” and “Single Ladies.” Together, they blend the classic 2000s pop sound with a modern edge.
At the start of the EP, songs such as “GRWM” and “Valley Girl Problems” have an upbeat energy that encourages listeners to get up, dance and feel free. These two songs are the happiest on the nine-track project, creating a feeling of calm before the storm.
Then comes “Closet,” where the EP takes a turn. The track centers on cleaning out a space that is no longer needed in your life. With the lyric “A girl’s gotta start fresh sometimes,” Cantrall begins the journey of letting go after too many things have gone wrong.
The interlude “The Problem” sets the stage for the second chapter of the EP. It captures the feeling of knowing something is wrong without being able to pinpoint exactly what it is. Intuition may not always be right, but when it is, it rarely leads you astray.
The transition from joy to sorrow continues with “Carrie Bradshaw.” After going through a friendship breakup, starting over can feel impossible. Holding on to pieces of yourself while trying not to let sadness consume you is something Cantrall describes beautifully throughout the track.
Just like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, sometimes you don’t have everything figured out, and that’s OK. What matters is how you move forward.
After discovering the truth behind betrayal, Cantrall channels that emotion into “Girls Like U.” After putting so much trust in another person, it can be difficult to accept an apology once that trust has been broken. The track embraces what could be described as angry pop. Giving someone multiple chances to come clean only for them to stay silent is enough to frustrate anyone. Even when apologies are offered, forgiveness isn’t always guaranteed.
What follows is a feeling familiar to anyone who has experienced heartbreak, whether romantic or platonic. “Yuck” is a statement track in which Cantrall sings about the pain she feels for the people she has chosen to surround herself with. It brings to mind Paramore’s “I Caught Myself.” Both songs explore the desire to change parts of yourself while realizing you’re not quite there yet.
The closing track, “Space Between,” is by far the emotional high point of the EP. Even after accepting the end of a relationship, thoughts of that person remain. Whether those memories are positive or negative, the impact of someone who was once such a significant part of your life never truly disappears. Grieving someone who is no longer in your life, but once meant everything, is a feeling that never fully goes away. Cantrall says it best: “We don’t talk and you know why / But I still think about you all the time.”
In the end, Valley Girl Problems marks a new chapter for Kylie Cantrall in pop music. She’s proving she can create not only fun, carefree pop songs but also deeply personal tracks that leave the biggest impact. With a tour hopefully on the way, I can’t wait to see where Cantrall goes next.
