We definitely didn’t leave the message on read as soon as we heard about Emei’s new EP RABBITHOLE. The LA based singer, known for songs like ‘Better People to Leave on Read’ and ‘Scatterbrain’, released her highly anticipated EP on November 15th. Leading up to this release, she already welcomed us to an Alice in Wonderland-like world with ‘RABBITHOLE’, ‘ALL THESE KIDS’ and ‘9 LIVES’. Now, with ‘SUGARCOAT’ and ‘THE PART’, the journey is complete.
‘RABBITHOLE’ is heavily inspired by the all-time classic movie Alice in Wonderland. The EP is about love and friendship, but also about the pressure the world puts on us or we put on ourselves. Throughout the EP, you descend into the rabbithole to ultimately ascend back into reality. Every song is a small part of that journey, but stylewise you can roughly divide the EP in three parts. The first songs are highly genre-bending, with a lot of changes in tempo, style and vocal range. The second part is deep and emotional, whereas the third and last part has a danceable and bubbly vibe.
Emei isn’t scared to share stories about her mental health and the struggles that come along. The first song, ‘RABBITHOLE’, is a fight against a panic attack that can’t even be saved by focusing on your breathing. On Instagram Emei said that she wrote this song on her birthday, feeling pretty anxious. The means to help you calm down, like breathing exercises or mantras, mostly made her feel more anxious, falling deeper and deeper into the rabbithole.
The beat and vibe of the song prove that Emei is not inferior to pop queens like Charli XCX and Dua Lipa and she has to be taken into account in the pop industry. The song has a few switches in tempo that emphasize the phase of the anxiety attack you’re in and the ways you try to get out of it. These switches are what distinguishes Emei from mainstream pop. Most outstanding to the song is the outro. The outro is opening a whole new world that sounds very serene. But if you pay closer attention to the lyrics, you’re just falling further down the rabbithole.
The serene outro of ‘RABBITHOLE’ tags along perfectly with the intro of ‘ALL THESE KIDS’. The second song on the EP starts off as a jazzy elevator hum. Emei welcomes you to the next chapter with the words ‘’Please, check your coat at the door. Entertainment will start promptly’’. Instead of her music being the entertainment, Emei expresses that she, herself, is the entertainment as everyone wants to share her success. She dives deeper into the pressure that comes along with her career, as she feels that ‘’all these kids want to ride for free on my coat tail swing’’. In the pre-chorus she refers to expensive brands such as Bentley and Prada, as ones most teens immediately expect you to have as soon as you reach a level of fame. At the same time, Emei reflects on the pressure and the fact that it can also be fleeting to reach fame, stating ‘’what a bummer, people only knew you for the summer’’.
‘9 LIVES’ is a complete 180 compared to the previous songs. Whereas there’s a heavy production on the previous songs, 9 LIVES is very minimalistic. It shows Emei’s crystal clear voice in a very pure way. She poured her heart out about the mistakes you make in a relationship and the insecurity that comes with it. How ow many times will your partner forgive you? ‘’You gave me 9 lives, now I’m down to 1”, Emei sings, as she feels like all of her wrongdoings will lead to the end of the relationship. It’s a heartbreaking love song, where you want to make it work so badly, but still keep messing up. The song is even more powerful if you take in mind that this is Emei’s first acoustic drop. To start off a new genre this way is admirable.
Just when you’re down and contemplating your live and relationship, ‘SUGARCOAT’ gets you dancing. It almost feels like you have the record on shuffle, putting these two songs after each other. Emei describes ‘SUGARCOAT’ as the tea party of Alice in Wonderland. The song is very bubbly and an escape from reality. “Sugarcoat your feelings ’til you’re not the one cryin’”. Even though you should be true to your feelings, in a weird way this song gives you a confidence boost. To just be young and blissfully ignorant.
A lot is happening in ‘THE PART’. So much is already happening in the first 30 seconds, that you barely know what to listen to. The chorus is more focused, which makes it easier to listen to the meaning of the song. ‘THE PART’ takes us out of the rabbithole and brings us back to reality, but with a new kind of confidence. In the song, Emei embraces adulthood, but still emphasizes that you can be whatever you want. It’s time to play the part.
Throughout RABBITHOLE, Emei proves that she’s an all-round and genre-bending artist. In under 15 minutes, she takes your hand through many emotions. From anxiety to joy, from heartbreak to confidence, Emei guides you through the rabbithole and back. She proves that you don’t have to settle for one style or theme, but that you can do whatever you want and be whoever you are, whether it’s in music or in life. Spotify US wasn’t wrong to crown her as Artist to watch and we definitely can’t wait for what’s to come next.
Written by: Kelly Zwiers
Edited by: Noah F.
