Starlingsworld highlights the significance of authenticity on new track, ‘Cool Girl’.
Starlingsworld’s ‘Cool Girl’ tackles the titular phenomenon that plagues women everywhere. It tells a story of pretending to be laid-back in a difficult romantic situation, overstepping all of your own boundaries, and being somebody you’re not.
Sonically, this song is casually pop, with Starlingsworld’s unique vocal tone taking centre stage. A line that stuck out to me was ‘Funny how I’m an actress/ Can’t act my way out of this’, showcasing the self-aware comedy of this song (ironic, considering Starlingsworld argues she is not, in fact, a cool girl at heart).
The song is dance-able and the first verse especially is catchy and fits Starlingsworld’s voice the best. My favourite part of the song is the bridge, which is fun and melodically tight. The choruses are more low-key in terms of production, hyping up a beat drop in the pre-chorus, and then falling back onto piano, stripped-back production. This seems to work best for Starlingsworld because it captures the essence of her vocals, alongside the sincerity of her lyrics.
Starlingsworld showcases lots of potential, particularly in the more ballad-inspired moments, and I look forward to seeing the direction of her future projects!