Photo: @jirkadoubek
17-year-old break out singer/songwriter from the Czech Republic, THERA, has recently released her debut album, “I Wish I Called”.
TRACKLIST
ringing...
fate
erase
would you?
DLTTI
YOUTH little favour
rain
stain
guardian angel
dying tone
Thera made her first appearance as an artist in October last year with the release of her "erase" music video which gained over 122k+ views on YouTube. Then as of this year with her first official single release in April, “stain”, and then her second single “DLTTI” in June, THERA had already made big impressions in the pop music scene and amassed millions of streams. She was discovered by a management team, Sounds Inc., earlier this year who helped get her career kicked-started and get her the attention she clearly deserves. THERA may only be 17, but she is known to be wise beyond her years and for having a work ethic stronger than most. She knows who she is and what she wants, and there’s nothing that will stop her! She’s also an honest artist, who writes about personal experiences and vulnerabilities that her listeners and relate to. She’s inspired by artists like Madison Beer, SZA, Tate McRae and Rihanna. Her debut album, “I Wish I Called” is a bit step forward for THERA but it’s still only the beginning. Let’s dive in.
ringing...
"ringing...." is a short intro track, bringing us into the world we're about to immerse ourselves in. The soundscape is dark and eerie, setting the haunting tone with it's minor key color and electronic production. Deep, synthesized vocals ring out behind the heavy beat, words can be made out and the one in particular that stood out to me personally was "anxiety". This song is preparing us for what is to come for the rest of the "I Wish I Called" album, and as we approach the end of the 55 second experience, we hear THERA sing on one note, "3...2...1... Jump." Then, we go straight into the next song.
fate
"fate" has a hip-hop infused beat, with a dark, addicting electronic production with tiny hints of rock. The song is about that moment of clarity, when you can see right through someone and realize they're not the person you thought you loved. There was a time where you once thought you belonged together, but after seeing their true colors, they've changed what you thought was destined to be. Therefore, their fate is now sealed, and they no longer will have anymore chances with you. My personal favorite part of this song is the guitar, especially when it's prominent in the intro of the song. The way it pulses and creates this funky rhythm is an ear-worm that'll last.
erase
"erase" was the first song THERA had put out and it was accompanied by a music video. "erase" is about calling out a person who has wronged you, and who has hurt you in ways that are beyond repair. This song makes them take a big, hard look in the mirror and ask themselves why they choose to be such a terrible person, and why they did what they did to you. This is a very personal song for THERA, that she chose to share with the world for others to relate to. This song is to make others realize just how impactful the mistakes they make have on others. With a haunting, old-wild-west chord progression and heavily reverbed electric guitar, "erase" gives off a powerful, pop/rock vibe with a hook that is hard to shake from your mind. A direct melody, and lyrics that hit you in the gut, "erase" is a song you can't miss out on.
would you?
Next, we have "would you?", a song that mixes nostalgic 80's synth pop vibes with pop rock and punk. "would you?" starts off with asking someone if they would do the right things in order to be with you, or if they're really just the jerk you think they are. Spoiler alert - they're just the jerk you think they are. THERA goes on to sing about how this person should just leave her alone and get out of her life in a chromatic ascending melody within the aggressive, angry, punk inspired hook. I can tell you one thing; THERA writes from the heart and from her very own personal experiences; and from what I've heard so far, you don't wanna mess with her!!
DLTTI
"DLTTI" was THERA's second official single release behind "stain", and is the song that went viral on TikTok gaining over 3 million streams on just that platform alone. It's another savagely honest song about the horrible monster social media has created within our society. It's a reminder that who you are on the internet, isn't who you are in real life. People like to hide behind screens and try to tell you who to be, but in reality they're not in any shape or form better than you are. The majority of what you see on the internet is fake; people trying to portray their lives as perfect, with more money than they really have, with filters and photoshop all over their pictures. The moral of the story is, don't let what strangers on the internet say let you down. You know who you are, and you know your own worth. This dark pop anthem features soul-stirring orchestral strings and a beat that captivates you.
YOUTH
"YOUTH" starts out with the chilling voices of children, as it continues on in a haunting minor key. It has a very bluesy chord progression, and a catchy, jazzy, hip and shoulder popping type of groove. There's a lot of emphasis on guitar which gives it even more of a classic, timeless tone. My interpretation of "YOUTH" is how easy it is to be manipulated when you're young. You're naïve, and all you wish to do is make people proud of you - especially the ones who are supposed to love you the most. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way - and we're left with trauma, convinced that it's our fault that we weren't able to make others happy. But when we get older, sometimes we're able to realize that we were never the problem - it was them all along; you just wish you could've seen that sooner, so that you didn't have to feel so closed off now.
little favour
"little favour" starts out with a raw, acoustic guitar which really sets the tone and mood. Then, once we get into the chorus we shift into the world of nostalgic RnB / Dance Pop straight from the 2000's / 2010's. The production and melody gave me Rihanna, Usher and Jason Derulo vibes in the best way possible. The lyrics are a little bit cryptic, so keep in mind that this is just my interpretation of the story given here! I think "little favour" is about having a best friend who manipulates you into being romantic with them for one day, just for them to ghost you and never talk to you again. Now you're left haunted by them, wishing you could somehow take it back, even though they had a big part in the whole situation. Not only did you lose your best friend, but now you have to live with the fact that they were never really a good friend in the first place.
rain
Next, we have "rain". If you're someone who suffers with depression, you will easily relate to this song. We have the tendency of wasting a lot of time alone with our thoughts, just staring off into space, watching the paint dry, or in this song's case, looking out the window and watching the rain. It's that crippling sadness where you physically can't do anything but let your brain run haywire. "rain" is a gorgeous track, starting off with a cathartic guitar picking pattern, and continuously building as time goes on, filling up with bass, pulsing synths, stunning vocal harmonies and adlibs, and a catchy drum groove. The song is also easy to sing along to with it's repetitive refrain, which helps you feel like you're not alone. "rain" ends with a guitar solo as it calms back down, bringing back the same picking pattern from the beginning and slowly fading out with an eerie, descending slide.
stain
Moving on to "stain", which was THERA's first official single release. "stain" is a somber piano ballad, that builds into a climax of synths, guitar and powerful drums until it comes back down, finishing out with just soft piano in the same manner that it started. THERA sings with a beautiful, emotional tone as she speaks directly to the person who has hurt her - a theme we've seen a lot in the tracks throughout this album. This person acts like they did nothing, they move on in life with no apology or care about the pain they've inflicted on others while THERA still hurts and struggles everyday in her mind over what they did. THERA says, you can act innocent all you want, but you've got a stain on your sleeve that proves who you really are, and someone is bound to see it.
guardian angel
"guardian angel" acts as the last full track of the album, and is considered the focus track and leading single. It has been supported by Spotify, landing editorial playlists such as New Music Friday and EQUAL. Taking another piano ballad approach, "guardian angel" is the come down, and is the resolution to the dark time that we had witnessed throughout the rest of the album. It's a calm, peaceful, positive track about finding someone that helps you move on from your past, and pulls you out of the funk you've been struggling to dig yourself out of. They make you feel safe, quite literally like they're your guardian angel. This song feels divine and fantasy like, as bells and orchestral sings fill the air and create this soundscape that brings a hopeful tear to your eye.
dying tone
"dying tone", is THERA calling the person that hurt her, the subject in many of the songs throughout this album. We're listening to it as if it's from his perspective. Though she never directly says what he had done to her, we're able to take little bits and pieces and assume some things. In this phone call, she's finally saying what she wish she had said to him all along; and let's just say, he doesn't like to hear it - because at the very end we hear a big crash, and then, the dying tone....
As mentioned earlier, this is still only the beginning for THERA! This girl is starting off strong, but she is only getting started. In fact, she’s already gone to Nashville to write with Grammy Award winning songwriters Steve Diamond and Jeff Cohen, and recorded at the legendary Ocean Way and Sound Emporium studios. Not only that, but she’s been rehearsing with her very own band in preparation to perform live shows across the UK and the USA. If THERA is already making her mark this early at the age of 17, I can't even imagine the impact she'll make as she grows and as her sound continues to mature and evolve. "I Wish I Called" shows just how ready THERA is to be a true artist, which is someone who is open, vulnerable, and personal with their art. Get ready because THERA is about to take over. Make sure to follow THERA below to keep up on her journey and find out what's next for her!
Written By Kaitlyn Nicole
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