Previously published Dec. 17, 2020
Looking for the perfect music to vibe to at 3 AM when it’s just you and the dead silence of the world? Up and coming artist, Sasha Sloan’s debut album, Only Child, released on October 16, is the perfect combination of beauty, somberness, and really raw lyrics. In her words, “this is a quarter-life crisis album.” Sasha Sloan is a singer-songwriter who started her music career by writing songs for other artists including Camila Cabello and Idina Menzel. She also lent her voice to EDM artists before releasing her first EP, sad girl in 2018. She wrote and recorded everything on Only Child during quarantine and the isolating condition of quarantine is truly tangible through her lyrics. While some people couldn’t handle being trapped with their thoughts, Sloan took advantage of this time and wrote lyrics that were true to her and I think that’s what makes this album so breathtaking – it’s just really genuine. She doesn’t try to hide anything, so the lyrics and songs come off as very vulnerable, which is a major facet that makes this album so relatable and unique. You, as the listener, feel so understood by so many of these songs. Not to mention how much the calm and serene sound of her music adds to the experience. It’s truly unparalleled.
One song on the album, “Is it Just Me,” lists a bunch of nonconformist ideas: Sloan said, “I’m sure that my unpopular opinions are actually popular opinions, but people are too scared to say them aloud.” I think that this not only describes the song, but is also apparent throughout the album. Another song that really stood out in regards to talking about social and mental health issues present in this day and age is “House with No Mirrors,” a song that tackles the real life struggle of eating disorders and body dysmorphia. What makes it unlike any other song related to this topic is that it portrays the issue through the lyricist’s unembellished perspective. “A problem I have with a lot of body image songs is that they’re really empowering. It doesn’t feel real” is what Sloan said about how her song is different from others.
I think at the end of the day, other than the ethereal sound of the album, there is an extremely important message that lies in it. It’s that your thoughts are valid. Don’t try to suppress them because it’s a taboo in society or you think others won’t approve of it. If we all expressed our true thoughts, we’d realize that we’re actually all going through similar things. Just imagine how united we’d be. I truly believe that Sasha Sloan will be music’s next big name. The album’s an 11/10 – definitely worth a listen!
