Apostola makes smoothly effortless genre hybrids that feel like everywhere and nowhere all at once. She’s definately among a burgeoning collection of young artists who are defined by a moody, Western eclecticism and by an urge to separate themselves from the mainstream.
Her music will feel distinctly familiar: It’s in intimate conversation with a Nelly Furtado-era, with Madonna and Lady Gaga. Like those artists, Apostola makes smoothly effortless composite pop songs that sound timeless.
On her opening track “5 Minutes of Fame” she highlights the dark side of being famous. You never know how long you will be at the top. Some do have to worry about the future. Some deal with anxiety and depression. Besides, fame brings a lot of stress and it’s very easy to see why celebrities who can not solve their problems often abuse alcohol or drugs.
Nonetheless, everyone who’s paid attention to pop music this decade, even just a tiny bit, has likely had some small piece of their brain melt away, but Apostola brings you close to the pulse of her artistry. Talented, compelling, alluring; It’s a testament to her genius even in the form of an EP as she loops through the material like a ribbon turning into a bow.
Her other songs dive much deeper, offering a window to her raw emotions, in a structure that mimics the range of an actual project, shifting nimbly between mid-tempo songs and ballads, pain and tears, nearly impossible to stay sitting still while listening.
“Parade” adds a tiny, tiny bit of emo emotion; uses every production trick available; and packs the song with a huge singalong hook that even the strongest pop haters might find imprinted on their brains after hearing it twice in a mall. It may not be a formula designed for critical acclaim or longevity, but pop music has always been exactly like this.
On “I Won’t Wait for You,” Apostola sings as though she cannot imagine someone else’s pain when stuck in a relationship. However, her empathy for others comes out strong, especially in the bluesy vibe of the song. She may be singing in the first person, but she’s thinking about others and how to help them through hard times.
“My Sanity” even rendered fresh, works on the ear in invisible ways. Here, Apostola steps outside her comfort zone and brings some real love drama. She evokes and conjures the moments beyond twilight and daybreak, colorful and fraught emotions that she draws from someone who’ll be by your side through thick and thin.
So let’s just say it’s a decent debut EP, and Apostola seems to be interested in what’s happening on the fringes of pop than trying to emulate the already tired mainstream. One doesn’t get the sense that this EP is meant to be a star vehicle in quite the same way, but a stepping stone to lead her to continue creating more compelling music.
Stream on other platforms:
Amazon Music | Apple Music | Deezer
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