Recommended Tracks: “Wrong Woman,” “Glow Up Era,” “Local Supermarket”
Artists You Might Like: Cloe Wilder, Maddie Regent, Olivia Lunny
As much as we would like to have perfect days every day, we can’t shy away from the bad ones. As much as we would like to have wonderful thoughts and feelings, we can’t ignore the difficult ones. Life will always be a balancing act, and the more we embrace all aspects of it, the better we will be at finding that balance. On Wrong Woman, the international debut project from Latvian artist MARTA, we hear about what it takes to go through the positive and the negative in order to come out on the other side. As MARTA openly explores these moments, she is able to honor where she came from while celebrating where she is now.
MARTA invites us in with the title track and “I’ll Be Enough,” which open the EP. On the title track, she shares, “‘Cause I am chaotic / And don’t like to wait / I am impatient to see how far I could go today / I am ecstatic / And far from a saint / If that makes me crazy, okay, I don’t have any time to waste.” Her confident tone and the free-spirited alt-pop sounds that accompany it make this an empowering track, sure to inspire those out there who are insecure about their loud personalities or their resilient tendencies. This attitude changes drastically, however, on “I’ll Be Enough.” MARTA’s fiery personality is overcome by self-doubt and intrusive thoughts, prompting her to put off her pursuits for another time. As if lost in thought, she ponders, “I’ll be OK tomorrow, I hope / But today, I feel like it’s all my fault / I will be pretty and skinny and smart but not too smart / And that will be enough.” Sometimes, you just need to sit in your feels, even if you know that you are capable of so much more.
By the time we get to the next track, “Glow Up Era,” MARTA has brought herself out of her funk. She is fully enjoying who she is and where she is at in life on this pop-rock song, bringing a little fun to the EP. She sings, “I am doing better than ever / This is my now or never / Feeling good and looking fine / I am living my design / Nothing lasts forever, whatever / I’m in my Glow Up Era.” She then follows this up with “Losing Game,” which contradicts what we just heard. Throughout the track, MARTA touches on her anxieties and personal secrets, which are reflected in the serious-sounding, fast-paced verses. She then lets go in the choruses, her focused vocals giving way to the heavier downbeats and lively guitar. While she sings, “I’m too smart to be happy and too dumb to admit / It’s impossible to win at life in 2023 / Oh! / What a shame / There’s no one to blame / It feels like a losing game,” she knows that she could have it worse. Still, the small, daily stresses are enough to push anyone over the edge and make people think that they’re “going insane.”
On “pretty little thing,” MARTA’s concerns morph into sass and snark. She playfully calls out someone who has had a hold on her, singing, “You think you’re so clever / Giving me advice / I listen and I smile as I’m crumbling inside / Well, guess what? / Putting others down / Is never ever really gonna be in style,” having the last laugh. She reminds listeners out there that you don’t have to let others define you, that how you see yourself is always going to take precedence. It is also important to surround yourself with the right people, which comes through on “Local Supermarket.” We end the EP on a comforting note with this track, as MARTA realizes just how lucky she is to have someone so supportive in her life. When she is “crying on my ugly sofa,” this person is there, “not saying a word, just breathing.” The intimacy and vulnerability of the verses blossom into love and affection in the choruses, where MARTA shares, “You’re my local supermarket / I don’t have to put my makeup on for you / ‘Cause you know me and I know you too,” leaning into the lilting pop melodies and brighter production.
Overall, Wrong Woman is a real look at the imbalances we all face in life. Some days are exciting and strong and inspiring, others are dismal and hopeless. MARTA alternates between these feelings from track to track, having us experience a high here and a low there. In the end, we see that there is beauty in finding that balance, that so many lessons are learned from leaning into a positive thought or reflecting on a negative one. If doing so makes MARTA a “Wrong Woman,” then so be it – we don’t want her to be right.
You can listen to Wrong Woman on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
Keep up with MARTA: Instagram // Facebook // X // YouTube // TikTok // Linktree
