With angsty lyrics and puzzled emotions that are all too familiar to teenagers like herself, 15-year-old Freya Skye creates a catchy song that brings a youthful, energetic spark to the pop genre in her latest single, “Can’t Fake It.”
Listeners may recognize her as an actress from the upcoming Disney Channel movie “Zombies 4” releasing this summer or from the British national television singing competition “Eurovision.” Her start is comparable to three-time Grammy winner Olivia Rodrigo, who also began her career on the screen.
With the same vulnerability Rodrigo shared in her first single “drivers license,” Skye brings the same emotions and artistry. Fans of the artist should give Skye a listen as well if they enjoy hits such as “vampire” and “get him back!“
The pop song centers on the frustrations that come with wanting to let go of a relationship. Although Skye wants to forgo her past, she feels herself constantly getting pulled back in and repeating the cycle.
The almost three-minute single begins with an upbeat drum track then straight into the first verse: “I’m not even sad about it, maybe just bitter / But I can’t stop myself from looking at that old picture.”
Immediately, it’s clear this isn’t a typical breakup anthem. Skye doesn’t lament the relationship, but instead fumes about it. And like the second verse says, she finds herself going back and reminiscing about the past, adding a regretful tone to the situation.
The singer knows that the relationship is over, even admitting it’s not one she should be going back to, but still can’t admit to herself that she accepts the end.
VIDEO CUTLINE: Freya Skye explains in an interview with The Accolade on Friday, Feb 6, the meaning behind the lyrics to her single “Can’t Fake It.”
Teenagers may find themselves resonating with these lyrics. As a result of Skye writing these lyrics based on her personal experience, there is a lot more authenticity to the song compared to a stranger writing it for her.
Needless to say, compared to other upbeat pop songs about breakup, like 14-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift’s song “hits different,” the song lacks the depth and extensive metaphors that may appeal to fans of the genre. However, for a song that follows a more conversational tone, Skye does a decent job of conveying her story, and with more experience she has with songwriting she will grow.
The use of this instrument was a great choice by the artist as it represents the tumultuous feelings she describes. With the drums growing noticeably louder as the song goes on, it reflects her growing frustrations with herself and the relationship.
The most honest lyric is in the chorus when she says, “Wanna say it’s over, but I just can’t fake it.” It is a very vulnerable lyric where Skye opens up about her uncertainty to her listeners instead of faking it. She approaches the topic of the song with the right maturity for her age, where it is not overtly cringy but still feels like words spoken by a heartbroken teenager.
For the music video released on Friday, Jan 17, the director, Boni Mata (Wisp- Your Face), chooses to create a storyline that is quite abstract in meaning. Though the concept of the music video does not relate, Mata does a great job of tying in the same themes of the song to the cinematography.
Skye’s music video takes place in a plain office building. The office is a place where the same routine occurs every day, reflecting how the singer feels about the relationship: mundane and repetitive. Displaying her inner emotions, she utilizes the background to show her frustrations and add to the story beyond the lyrics.
However, looking at her facial expressions gives viewers the impression that this was not a boring relationship. She is clearly frustrated about it and doesn’t attempt to hide her feelings.
Slowly, as the song progresses, the office space gets more and more chaotic: papers and folders fly around everywhere. This symbolizes the messiness of the relationship as she feels stuck in the cycle.
Like other mainstream pop artists such as Swift and Gracie Abrams, who embrace emotion and share their raw emotions with their fans, Skye does the same but brings a unique twist to the classic breakup genre by expressing her anger instead of sadness in the face of the split.
“Can’t Fake It” sets the tone for Skye’s potential seat among these stars, with her powerful voice and ideas; people across the globe can similarly relate to her struggles as they grapple with their own relationship problems.
As for any upcoming projects from the artist, listeners can expect a lot more singles before any EPs or albums. This is a great decision as she is still a new artist, so she should create momentum behind her name before releasing such ambitious projects.
Listeners don’t have to worry about faking their interest in Skye’s latest work because they’ll be hooked by the catchy beats and stay for the open, vulnerable lyrics.
