By Aquil Starks Jr.

Candian singer, CARYS, just released her newest EP titled To Anyone Like Me on October 2. This pop album juggles themes that contrast each other, showing off CARY's versatility.

The highly innovative debut EP comes right after work on “Crush,” which included “Princesses Don’t Cry,” a fan favorite given that it has garnered more than 70 million streams worldwide, propelled by the viral social platform TikTok. The vivacious EP is a reflection for the artist, a vulnerable moment in the aspect of having control over one’s being.

The album kicks off with the hidden gem that is “Love (Validation)” exploring the themes of needing constant validation from others. Structured, but with a message hidden within the addicting electro-pop beats and stimulating chorus. “Like a tidal wave that I can’t escape, try to run away” is a line that every listener resonates with in relation to escaping insecurities. Another standout on the album, “When a girl” is full of juxtapositions of how women are held on a higher standard than their male counterparts. “Boys will be boys, but the girls can’t be girls, if they are they are never good enough” is a masterfully written lyric that repeatedly reminds listeners of gender roles placed on women . It’s a pro femme anthem that is universal and can apply to anyone who feels inequitable about their stature in society. 

The Toronto-based singer says, “I was writing the songs for this EP with the intention to get out how I had been feeling about all the parts of my life I was ready to let go of and the resistance to letting go. Most of this album was written in a period of a lot of self-reflection and growth. The need for validation, people-pleasing, romanticising the past, fearing the future. To Anyone Like Me represents the different stages of healing and the complicated journey of beginning to recognize our inherent worth.”

In addition,  “No More” was accompanied with a music video after its release. The video includes shots of the singer by herself in various locations, celebrating independence, letting go of indifferences faced in relationships. 

CARYS debut EPTo Anyone Like Me embodies the fearsome feeling of accepting self-reliance. It’s a breath of fresh life. The airy vocals and electro-pop attitude are just what her fans and new listeners need to keep this album on repeat.