“Elephant” described the resilient nature that derives from years of being tired of being the odd-one-out in every room. Wherever you go, you sense an overwhelming amount of eyes latching onto you. Years of tolerating their judgment have beat you down but you can’t bring yourself to accept the intolerance of others. It seems as though your life has been filled with painstaking instances of your own loved ones turning against you the second you show your true self. With those burning eyes locked onto you, you remember the sacrifices you made to finally be comfortable in your own body. After those long, long years of constant fighting, why hasn’t everyone learned to keep their seething opinions to themselves? The mountains you’ve climbed and the battles you fought are evidence enough of the respect you deserve. You finally realize that you shouldn’t have to hide your body, which unashamedly displays the years you spent fighting to be comfortable in your own skin.
“Elephant” is an alt-pop dream-pop anthem that utilizes a low tone and register to effectively display the confidence gained over time by the narrator. Throughout this single, Miki Ratsula sings each line with a whisper-like quality. Even as the song picks up with its differing instrumentation, this whisper-register remains consistent. It reflects the self-assured confidence and comfortability explained in the lyricism. The narrator knows who they are and a consistent vocal quality displays this. The instrumentation is a fascinating aspect to this single, as it gradually builds from what it was in the beginning. We begin with simple guitar chords against the vocals. More instruments accompany the guitar and build a dreamy tone throughout. During the second chorus, a unique percussion is incorporated. This percussion is break–core inspired and, while seemingly sudden in the sweetly soft song quality, its slow buildup makes it feel completely natural. It starts to resemble modern bedroom lofi-pop singles and ends this song in a dream-like sweet state.
Miki Ratsula is a singer-songwriter from Southern California. They have been creating their own music since they were 16 and have gained over 50 million streams in that time. Miki incorporates elements from their life experiences into most of their art. Being a well-known trans and non-binary person, their music and lgbt+ community work has amassed them a loyal fanbase. In 2022 after their first full-length album was released, they ventured on their first tour alongside artists such as Lauren Sanderson and Jordy. In 2023, they released their second album and this opened even more doors for their career. They accompanied artist G-Flip on a United States tour, and performed at major events such as Los Angeles Pride and Nashville Pride. They have been showcased as a featured artist in media spreads such as Billboard’s “The 25 Best Pride Songs of 2023 (So Far)” and Outfront Magazine. Make sure to follow them on social media and give “elephant” a listen!
Written By Willow Gray
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