top of page
Kaitlyn Nicole

Review: "Cringe" - Estella Dawn





Some fairy tales talk of a crystal ball that give you a glimpse of future. In reality, we don’t have this luxury and have to take each situation as it comes: for better or for worse. In her song, “Cringe,” Estella Dawn talks about when the memories of the bad situations come back and haunt us. More specifically, she talks about being unlucky in love. Dawn became so infatuated that she did not see the warning signs. When she thinks about the happiness she once felt, it makes her physically sick. Fortunately, Dawn uses her music to expel all the negative energy and move on with her life.








I liked the guitar strum in the beginning of the song. It repeats in the second verse as well. It reminded me a lot of the guitar on Shawn Mendes’s song, “Treat You Better.” The similarity is kind of ironic because Mendes also sings about being unlucky in love. Another aspect of the song that I enjoyed was the inflection in Dawn’s voice. I am talking specifically about how Dawn says, “cringe,” on the chorus. As she sings that word, it sounds as if she is actually cringing which really does justice to the song’s title. Lastly, I think it is worth pointing out that the bridge acts as a transition piece to the song. In the bridge, Dawn sings, “I grew bigger, I burn brighter,” before circling back to the chorus. She is acknowledging how much better of a person she is for coming out of the bad situation. At the same time, she is also coming to terms with the fact that the memories of it may always be there.



Estella Dawn was born and raised in New Zealand but currently lives in the U.S. Along with being a vocalist, Dawn is also a songwriter and producer. Even though the year 2020 was crazy for a lot of us, it was great to Estella Dawn because she burst onto the musical scene. If you want to hear more of her, I recommend “Pretty.” Compared to “Cringe,” this song is about a more positive side of love.


Written By Kelli Dixon



FOLLOW ESTELLA DAWN:


bottom of page