“Yeah...I’ve been all over the place,” begins Cristina Hart through a crackly filter – almost like the beginning of a TikTok audio – before diving into her new song, “I’m A Mess.”
The production, while it perfectly accompanies Hart’s voice with its hollow, syncopated beats, is merely a way to boost the lyrics. Hart wrote this song about when, on antibiotics, she couldn’t speak or sing and how that experience made her experience: a mess. She describes the difficulties of being exposed and limited in such a physical way, saying, “Don’t you think that I’ve tried to show my vulnerable side?/But it’s easier to sell a dream,” commenting on how we’re always pressured to give the best parts of ourselves to the world and hide the uglier sides. The chorus is my favorite part – “I’m a mess/I’m a mess/I’m a mess/I’m not always at my best” – where the production explodes then backs off, giving space for the catchy lyrics to come through and get caught in the listener’s head. The artwork, done by Orla Gartland, for this single is beautiful with a shimmery moon behind Hart’s head and butterflies floating around her. This is the first single off her new EP Sell A Dream, which is set to be released in the fall.
This London-based singer-songwriter first gained attention in 2016 with her collaboration with producer Hilow on the song, “Fell In Love With You,” which garnered over 3 million streams on Spotify. BBC Introducing Lincolnshire and BBC6 Music supported her two other songs – “2 Months” with Psycho Modern and “Compassion Isn’t Fashion Anymore.” with Talk Slow. This upcoming EP – recorded in her bedroom and her boyfriend’s studio – is sure to deliver an incredible, nuanced pop performance her fans have been waiting for.
Written by Tatum Jenkins
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