REVIEW: “See Me” is Maddie Regent’s Latest Whimsical Adventure Through Intimate Heartbreak
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY SULLIVAN JORDAN ☆
MADDIE REGENT’S LATEST SINGLE IS BRUTALLY HONEST—seeped in a refreshing self-awareness alongside sparkling storytelling and a cinematic production. “See Me” is a bouncy and wistful anthem that captures the unexpected romance and intimacy of allowing someone to experience every version of you—even the version who ultimately leaves: “I can see now you could see me better than they all do / Until I became a ghost you could see right through.”
Regent crafts a fictional world where heartache, fantasy and romance blend into addictive melodies. A shimmering array of instrumentals offer listeners a glimmer of hope amongst the chaos of fear, anxiety and self-doubt.
She weaves her silky and confident vocals through vivid storytelling with intricate lyrics. “See Me” finds Regent at a train station, a naturally romanticized setting, watching an ex-lover wait with her bags while she hesitates to join them on the next adventure: “You were there on the train / I could see you holding my bags / I saw you ask them to wait / You swore that I was coming back.” The literal and metaphorical use of the word “bags” emphasizes her level of intimacy with someone, making their parting that much more difficult.
Layered instrumentals build into a racing production before Regent’s spiraling feelings bubble over in the bridge, questioning her decision and wishing to witness a different timeline: “'Cause there's a version of me in another life / That wasn't missing that train, wasn't leaving your side / Wasn’t waking up with regret in the middle of the night / Asking, ‘If I made the train, would I be your wife?’” Regent confronts her own demons, thus opening up to listeners in a way that may feel scary at first, but is ultimately freeing.
