girl in red is a solo project that, unfortunately, I did not know too much about before recently. I knew of her song "i wanna be your girlfriend" from when it was featured in the show, Heartstopper, but that was pretty much the extent of it. However, I think I can accurately call myself a fan now, as I was blown away by how amazing her latest album was. I'M DOING IT AGAIN BABY! is an ultra-fun pop-rock collection of songs that not only filled me with bustling self-confidence but gave me an overwhelming sense of joy and giddiness, as well. I don't think there are enough compliments I could give this album, it was simply that good.
TRACKLIST
I'm Back
DOING IT AGAIN BABY
Too Much
Phantom Pain
You Need Me Now? (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)
A Night To Remember
Pick Me
Ugly Side
New Love
★★★★★
girl in red is, as I stated before, an indie pop project started by Marie Ulven Ringheim, a Norwegian singer, songwriter, and producer. She started releasing music back in 2016 on SoundCloud. But in 2018, she started gaining more attention and a wave of new fans. girl in red would go on to win 3 Norwegian Grammys, sign with Columbia Records, and open for several shows during the US leg of Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour. She is also a prominent figure in the LGBTQIA+ community. I love learning of how Ulven was able to start such a unique project like girl in red, not knowing how popular it would grow to become. Let's get into the songs!
i'm back
The album opens with "I'm Back", a number which details Ulven's absence from the music industry for mental health reasons. She sings "I'm back, I feel like myself / I was gone for a minute 'cause I went to get help." I couldn't help but notice how happy-sounding the instrumentals were compared to the lyrics, which to me were reflective and accepting. I obviously cannot imagine what would have caused Ulven to write this, but I cannot ignore how raw, real, and subtle the message was. I think I can easily claim this song as one of my favorites on the album.
DOING IT AGAIN BABY
Compared to the last song, where Ulven reflected on her absence from the music industry, "DOING IT AGAIN BABY" focuses on her return, how she has risen to a new level, and that no one could try to stop her any longer. I loved this song, it was so upbeat and fun, and made me feel extremely confident and empowered. I especially loved the chorus, "I'm on a new level, something's got me feeling like / I could be inflammable, and I might be / I'm gonna light it up, nothing's gonna stop me / If I say this is what I want." I added this song to my "Feel-Good" and "Get Ready With Me" playlists immediately.
too much
Next up we have "Too Much", a song about feeling misunderstood, unappreciated, and alone in a relationship. I think Ulven did a great job conveying her emotions in this song, I could really sense her frustration and anger in these lyrics, and while I couldn't relate, I could absolutely empathize. But I especially loved how Ulven mixed the lyrics with this cool, synth-sounding backing track. I think she has managed to find the perfect balance between "subtle anger" and "overflowing giddiness", and I think this song is a great example of that.
Phantom pain
When I think of girl in red, I think back to "i wanna be your girlfriend", and the hazy, almost ethereal-sound, that it exuded. So, when I listened to "Phantom Pain", I felt like I was immediately transported back to that former era of her music. "Phantom Pain" is a song about unrequited love and being led on by someone who may not feel the same. If you didn't already know what phantom pain was, it's the feeling of pain in a lost limb. To connect this with the song, I imagine it symbolizes feelings that are no longer there, or that maybe never existed. This song was a super fun listen, and I recommend it to everyone!
you need me now? (feat. Sabrina carpenter)
I was so excited when I saw Carpenter would be featured on this album. I feel like Ulven and Carpenter's styles could mix in a really fun way, and let me tell you, this song did not disappoint. "You Need Me Now?" is a song about a toxic relationship where an ex decides to come crawling back. It presents a back-and-forth type of relationship that I don't often get to hear in music. I will say, Carpenter wasn't featured as much as I thought she would be, but I think the parts that she was in were very well done. I also loved her introduction to the song!
a night to remember
Do you believe in love at first sight? Well, "A Night To Remember" is the next song on this album, and delves into feelings of immediate connection and passion towards someone you just met. It's a stark contrast in messages compared to the last few songs, but I love how energetic and upbeat this song was. It was almost magical, in a way. Ulven sings as though she is almost addicted to this person, a feeling that I'm sure some of us have experienced at one point. This has to be another one of my favorites, for sure.
Pick Me
Another song dealing with unrequited love, "Pick Me" is a slow, emotional ballad that left me speechless. It's about loving someone who loves someone else, and feeling like the underdog thanks to any insecurities that may arise. It's a situation I can understand all too well, and I think the lyrics do a great job of displaying Ulven's thoughts and emotions clearly. "There's no amount of validation that would make this go away / The endless fear of losin' you to him / Is keeping me awake." I think this is easily one of the most emotional songs on this album, yet it's also one of the most beautiful.
ugly side
As I touched upon earlier, Ulven returned to the music industry after seeking mental health help. In the next track, "Ugly Side", we get more of an inside perspective into what may have been going on in Ulven's life. The song centers around imperfections one may have, and how those imperfections may negatively impact their mental health. Self-love can be difficult to learn, but it only benefits us in the end. How can anyone love us if we don't love ourselves? That is precisely what this song is about.
new love
When I first read this tracklist, I figured this song would be about finding new love following a toxic relationship. However, imagine my shock when I discovered this song was about having to watch your ex move on with someone else. And honestly, I love that message even more. As someone who has never been in a real relationship before, I never really stopped to think about how I'd feel if I saw my ex happy with a new person. But now, after hearing Ulven's stunning lyrics, I can pretty much almost guarantee it would not be a particularly good feeling. This song was perfect, and I think fit the theme very well.
★★★★★
The final track on this album is "★★★★★ (5 Stars)", a look into the music industry that I had never really thought to explore more before. It centers around the pressures associated with writing the perfect hit, and the anxieties that come from the failures of a poorly produced song. Ratings are some of the most important aspects of the music industry, and can make or break an artist's music career. Taking this into consideration, I think this song does a great job of conveying those emotions, I haven't heard a song quite like this in a while.
Overall, I think this album brought a lot of really unique and fun elements that I had not really had the pleasure of indulging in before. I think Ulven has done something truly special, not only with the creation and release of this album, but with the creation of girl in red as a whole. I will be unashamedly listening to this album on repeat for a while, as should all of you. Go stream "I'M DOING IT BABY" now!
Written By Isabel Mays
*copyright not intended. Fair use act, section 107.