Review: "FREAK" - Annika Rose
- Hanna Hathaway
- May 22
- 2 min read
Updated: May 23
Annika Rose’s new release, “FREAK” is a high energy, movie-like piece with full vocals and meticulous shifts to deliver a sound surrounded by an aura of achy indecision. Chaotic and cool, “FREAK” is an accurate take on hope and disappointment where Rose sings, “you’re such a freak, so into me,” followed by “it’s never going where I hope it could when you smile,” illustrating the dichotomy of an unfixable relationship. Rose explains the fluctuation of impulsivity in a spontaneous relationship, illuminated with stinging lyrics that encapsulate the experience of being the victim of a night time, intermittent lover. She notes how this lover is a “thief”, a “drug”, and a “cautionary tale” that she can’t wash off, so she offers, “let's do it again,” further trapping herself in the addictive cycle.
With a tangy guitar riff and energized beat, Rose jumps into her introduction chanting her confidence in a lover’s interest for her. She revisits this idea with the same sound to nail effective repetition, setting up for sweeping vocals that glide into the chorus. Bridging with outright taunts and insults, Rose reveals a knack for longing with stretchy, singable vocals. After this, she pushes and draws her rich voice, citing the most notable frustration of the song that demonstrates the contradiction of a flimsy romance. Inflection and volume drive emotion in this piece as Rose wavers her vocals to match her mood and shouts critical lyrics to embody irritation. “FREAK” is the type of song you sing in the car as you split into two pieces trying to recall why you can’t resist someone that’s so bad for you.
Annika Rose is a 23 year-old singer/songwriter from Los Angeles, CA. She says her songs are “journal entries put to melody” and likes to write them in solitude. Her most popular songs on Spotify, like “Hypocrite” and “just like you- demo”, have millions of plays and she has over 95K monthly listeners on the platform. Rose is on her first US tour with Ava Maybee from late May to the middle of June this year. In the past, she has indicated how Hailey Williams from Paramore is a major inspiration for her art, and how she appreciates the togetherness that music can bring to communities. Her family was frequently involved in music, which may have influenced her to be the same. Annika Rose’s “FREAK” is #2 on Spotify’s Fresh Finds Rock, and she releases her third EP, Broadway & Bond, on May 28, 2025.
Written By Hanna Hathaway
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