Samia’s ‘Honey’ is A Vulnerable Indie Pop Experience
“Honey” Album Cover (Courtesy Grand Jury Music)
February 3, 2023
Samia’s third album “Honey” was released on Jan. 27. The singer’s latest brings home a moody blend of sadness, struggles and relationships overlaid with catchy melodies and hypnotically soft vocals.
‘Honey’
Samia, whose full name is Samia Najimy Finnerty, is the daughter of actress Kathy Najimy and actor/singer Dan Finnerty. However, the singer has made a name for herself in her own right through relatable music that takes on the difficult and nuanced experience of being young, in love and grieving relationships.
The album’s title track “Honey” is a bright track in the mellow blue-covered album’s track list. It offers a moment of joy and slightly raised tempo that sees Samia reminiscing about the good times with friends and lovers.
“Kill Her Freak Out” and “Pink Balloon” are two of the more vulnerable tracks on the record. Both deal with frank depictions of relationships and friendships that have run their course. “And whether it’s a fallacy/You sing of love persistently/Sometimes when you sing to me/I still believe I know you” she sings against the somber melody on “Pink Balloon.”
While the emotive and lyrically vulnerable style of Samia’s music lends itself to the idea that musicians can maintain their authenticity and provide connection through their songs, some of the songs such as “Mad At Me” fall into the trap of repeating themselves too often.
The chorus of the song is simply “Are you still/Mad at me?” repeated twice.
That said, it still has the same depth and vulnerability that one might expect from indie pop like Samia’s. A vulnerability that ultimately makes up for the less creative lyrical stylings in some of the tracks on the album.
Samia clearly has a passion for songwriting that isn’t afraid to get messy or lay out the personal intricacies of forming and losing relationships. This transparent writing coupled with her breathy and light vocals might spell good things for listeners and the industry as a whole.
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Not All Blues and Tunes
Even if the genre of moody, indie pop isn’t for everyone, there’s no denying that the melodies and lyrics that artists like Samia bring to the table allow for deep connection and understanding for their listeners.
There’s something to be said for keeping it lyrically simple when trying to communicate a message to listeners while still producing something that’ll stick with them long after their first listen. Samia does that and more with “Honey” when it comes to capturing experience of shifting relationships.
At the end of the day, Samia’s lyrical content isn’t groundbreaking or revolutionary in a traditional sense. Break-ups and changes in relationships happen. Wondering where you stand emotionally with others happens all the time, and reflecting on the highlights of life while young is more universal still.
Yet, Samia’s musical compositions blend a haunting ability to be straightforward about emotions with a memorable sound and vocals that bring it all together. “Honey” is an album that just might keep us all a little more honest about how we’re feeling.
