“Pain For Passion” is certainly made with and for passion, sensual and gothic, the piece publicizes feelings usually kept private. The lyrics introduce the listener, “Welcome to the end of the…world” not with a feeling of impending chaos but of secrecy, the world not falling to ruin so much as it is being left behind. Alex McArtor turns herself into a sort of femme fatale, luring in the listener with words that tempt as much as they criticize. This narrating character places herself above others, being a person to project desires onto. The little information provided about her is only a confirmation of a mutual sense of adventure and lust as she states “I seek danger” and yet she is utterly fascinating.
The song begins with a heartbeat of electric guitar that immediately reveals its unique genre. When Alex McArtor begins singing her talent almost interrupts the listening experience, her voice’s perfection for the song being simply that staggering. She sounds sultry and vintage, reminiscent of Lana Del Rey or a gloomy Stevie Nicks. The instrumentals build up behind her, but at their peak the music actually slows down in a more magnetizing way than any explosion of chords would have offered. It’s soon after, in the first rendition of the chorus, that McArtor reveals her experimentalism beyond her standard skill. She raises the pitch of her voice abnormally, but it lands and gives the song something rare- originality. The song ends after another rendition of the chorus surrounded by background vocals that make it echo in the mind of the listener long after it’s over.
Alex McArtor grew up in Texas, surrounded by a culture of music. She found her love for it early on, coming from a family that played guitar themselves and over the radio frequently. She didn’t waste any time pursuing the career, releasing her first single in 2019 while still in high school. She would go on to move to L.A. where she’s now based, carrying her country roots with her in her music today. This, as well as her willingness to explore genres and her undeniable brilliance as a writer, made her stand out, immediately marking her as an artist to watch since her first recorded song. She’s released 17 singles since 2019, “Pain For Passion” being the latest. Despite her compelling origin and the endless compliments that can be said, nothing is more convincing of her potential than her own words, listen to her music below and when you find yourself immediately needing to learn more about her, her social media is available there too.
Written By Hailey Schap
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