Goldie Vargas gives us a few ways to shine on ‘GOLDEN’

Recommended Tracks: “Strawberry Kisses”, “Moving in Reverse”
Artists You May Like: Rihanna, Billie Eilish, Bea Miller

For Goldie Vargas, 2022 has been all about the release of her debut EP, GOLDEN. She released its first single, the cool and crisp “Strawberry Kisses,” back in January, giving fans a warm retreat from the cold winter weather. In June, Goldie switched up her sound with “Moving in Reverse,” an atmospheric single that was created during the first week of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, Goldie shared GOLDEN’s third single, “Canyon,” which mixed the downhearted sounds of acoustic guitar with post-breakup lyrics. With these three releases, GOLDEN is already proving to be a versatile project, offering fans a variety of styles and topics that they can connect with or better explore. As she gives us the final product, complete with two more tracks, Goldie further cements the EP as a place people can go to “feel less alone.”

When previously discussing the EP, Goldie mentioned she wanted the songs to comfort those who listened to them, actively acknowledging emotions that may be difficult to face. Goldie achieves this from track to track, shedding her own views on pure joy, total disappointment, and true self-acceptance. Most of the songs relay these topics as they relate to relationships, with Goldie finding love on “Strawberry Kisses” or loss on “Mary Jane” and “Gravity.” With “Mary Jane,” she holds the other person accountable for the breakup through lines like “Your songs were bad and I hated them too / But I can’t change that and I can’t change you” and “And even though you have yourself to blame / You won’t love me unless I am Mary Jane.” The graceful production makes the break easier to process, as opposed to “Gravity,” which takes the dramatic piano ballad-route. Goldie also tackles heartbreak on “Canyon,” but uses it as a means to get in touch with herself. She sings in the chorus, “Running through the fields / I miss the girl I used to feel,” wanting to go back to an earlier time before the relationship began.

While these songs are memorable in their own way, they are all the more so with Goldie’s vocals. She adapts her voice to best complete the mood of each track, fondly singing out on “Strawberry Kisses” or pulling back on “Moving in Reverse.” Her overall timbre is friendly yet poised, powerful but not threatening. By sensibly lending these characteristics of her voice to certain notes or melodies, Goldie conveys what she is singing in a way that makes it easy for listeners to feel what she is feeling.

All in all, GOLDEN proves to be an inviting destination for those who have been through or witnessed what Goldie describes on the songs. Each track tells its own story, pulling us in a few different directions. Fans can rejoice in the happier moments on the EP just as much as they can lament in the heavier moments. Overall, the mix is just right, not giving in too much to one particular sound or idea. And with Goldie’s honest and stylish delivery, we can tell that these moments will only lead to something greater, allowing her to fully embrace whatever makes her golden in time.