Sucker Punching Self-Doubt with Sigrid
In today’s seemingly oversaturated pop scene, it’s difficult to find a song, artist, or album that truly stands out. 22 year old Scandinavian artist Sigrid Solbakk Raabe, professionally known as Sigrid, challenges that narrative with her debut album Sucker Punch. On the heels of her recent EPs Don’t Kill My Vibe (2017) and Raw (2018), the BBC Sound of Music Award winning artist has compiled a 12 track ode to self love with Sucker Punch.
Having grown up in Ålesund, Norway, Sigrid now lives in Bergen, but records songs back in her hometown. She began playing in her first band with her sister when she was 17, lovingly named Sala Says Mhyp after her cat Sala. The artist has cited some of her first music idols as Adele and Coldplay, inspiring her to delve deeper into the world of music. From a young age she was always into the arts, taking piano, singing, dance, and theatre classes, writing her first song at 16 to perform with her brother. She has seen a lot of mainstream exposure ahead of her debut album; she performed both on Jimmy Fallon and James Corden's late shows, had one of her songs featured in Justice League, been featured on Beats 1, and recorded a Simlish version of her hit “Don’t Kill My Vibe” for The Sims 4. With a humble personality and electric voice, Sigrid makes herself a force to be reckoned with in the world of pop.
Onto the album, the title track “Sucker Punch” opens the LP with just that— a punch of catchy hooks and synths guaranteed to get into anyone’s head. Beyond the poppy exterior, the melancholy lyrics that Sigrid is known for seem to be absent, but she ensures listeners that was her intent despite her fears that a happy song wouldn't feel real. Exploring the idea of sudden love, the emotions that come along with it, and feeling blown away in the moment, the song is a welcome contrast to some of the sadder tracks she has released. Feeling like she’s been hit with a “Sucker Punch”, Sigrid gets lost in the feeling of her new found love, possibly for someone or even for performing, and sells this track as one of her most unique yet.
The paradoxical track “Mine Right Now” comes up next, flaunting an 80’s inspired sound. Written as a song to be performed at a huge festival on an even bigger stage, “Mine Right Now” does its job with a presence that’s hard to ignore. Preaching the idea of enjoying the present with lines like ‘Then I ruin the moment 'cause I picture the end’ and ‘Hey, it's alright if we don't end up together 'cause you’re mine right now,’ Sigrid finds meaning in the now rather than worrying about the future. With its echoey hooks, the song does well to its source material, creating a feeling of nostalgia anyone can enjoy.
“Basic” is a track that’s sound mirrors its name, being one of the most repetitive songs on the record. Despite this, the track delivers the simple and swift message of wanting to be honest in a relationship. In this song, Sigrid feels that she has to put up an act in a relationship (‘Cause you make me so complicated’), and fears the other person feels the same way. She just wants to be “basic” and honest, without all the faking and beating around the bush. As a love song to being yourself, this tune catches the ear of listeners with a chorus that you can't help but sing along to.
“Strangers” is the first out of two previously released tracks on this record, having been released back in 2017 and peaking at #10 on Billboard’s Official U.K. Singles Chart. With a more somber undertone, like many of her other songs, “Strangers” is full of cliches that challenge the idea of perfection. Citing movies and popular media as a cause, Sigrid tackles the idea of setting the bar too high for relationships, achievements, and any other situations. The title itself stems from the concept of a relationship that has grown far apart to the point of feeling like strangers again. Through this, she encourages listeners to not romanticize the past (‘Memories in photos, too easy to rewrite’) and move on, as not everything can turn out perfectly. In the signature Sigrid style, the energetic melody and backbeat serve as a contrast to the lyrics of this track.
Following the theme of self love, “Don't Feel Like Crying” describes the fallout of a recent breakup. Instead of the everyday cliches of basking in self pity, drowning herself in takeout, and permanently relocating to the nearest couch, Sigrid thinks to herself that ‘Wallowing in it would be such a waste’. In this uplifting anthem, she doesn't feel like crying over this lost flame and prioritizes her own happiness. As one of the most danceable songs on the album, “Don’t Feel Like Crying” raises its audience’s spirits up and takes a break from some of the sadder undertones of “Strangers”. The singer’s passion can be heard through the punchy, violin-like synths that have come to be a part of many of her songs.
With the shortest running time of all the songs on the album, “Level Up” is driven by a simple melody and message— your struggles will only make you stronger. Written in the context of a relationship, this delicate ballad follows Sigrid as she almost abandons someone after a problem arises in their relationship. In the face of this, she still chooses to turn back and meet the problem head on, coming to resolution, and as a result, their relationship will “Level Up”. With a fear that she had ‘Wasted so much of our precious time,’ Sigrid realizes that running away or ignoring problems that arise is never going to fix anything. With the term “Level Up’ coming from her love of video games, this love letter of a song shows Sigrid's ongoing commitment to her art and her endeavors within her own life.
Inspired by her set at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland, one of her favourite shows she has ever played, “Sight of You” has a simple message at its core. Although touring can be extremely harsh and can take a toll on a singer, Sigrid cites the sight of her fans and her band as something that gets the best out of her, making it all worthwhile. The song also contains a reference in the line ‘The airline lost my luggage, still got all this weight,’ to one particularly difficult situation in 2018 when Air France sent all their luggage and instruments to the wrong country. Backed up by her signature bouncy piano and violin hooks, the tune is one that you are sure not to forget anytime soon.
The second and slightly more melancholic ballad on the album, “In Vain”, is a more broken down song in terms of melody. Accompanied by a simple guitar and piano in the first half, Sigrid’s vocals are the shining star of this segment. On this track, she puts the focus on toxic relationships, not wanting to ‘give [her] heart in vain’. After trying to ‘fix’ someone who set off all her internal alarms and never spoke to her honestly, she realizes that it is not her job to solve someone else's problems when they seem to be there only to bring her down. Showing off her vocal range throughout, Sigrid builds up to a powerful crescendo at the song’s finale, bringing in a stronger backing beat and deviating from the ballad style followed in the beginning of the song.
Having been released in 2017, the same year as “Strangers”, “Don’t Kill My Vibe” served as the title track to her first EP. As an artist that often attends writing sessions to build her songs with a group of like-minded individuals, she has run into her fair share of rude writers. Written after one particularly bad experience, she ended up with chorus lines like ‘You think you're so important to me, don't you? But I wanted you to know that you don't belong here’. Despite her young age, any artist deserves respect towards their own ideas, and Sigrid is definitely in line with this concept, not wanting others to kill her vibe due to their own previous misconceptions about her or her art. Almost anthem-like, the track bleeds anger through its harder drums and intense vocals, serving as a timeless track that refuses to back down.
The most unique sounding song thus far, “Business Dinners”, was inspired by none other than the music and sounds of the Studio Ghibli films. In a song all about the business behind the music, it is Sigrid’s desire to stay true to herself while others only want her to become more famous and more profitable. Struggling to make sure her true self still shines through, Sigrid tries to stay humble and real with her audience, avoiding sugarcoating how she really feels. With a purposeful thumping beat and softer fluty synths, she wanted to be able to write a song about business, but in a more fun and quirky way, as she called it.
Moving on from unrequited love is the topic of “Never Mine”, Sigrid’s self-proclaimed most static and groovy song she’s ever written. Although lacking lyrically and straddling the line between being catchy and overly repetitive, the song did what it set out to do, getting the listener into a groove. Mostly exploring the feeling and awkwardness after confessing to a friend and being rejected, she must accept that the person in question never was truly hers. Winding down as the second to last track, “Never Mine” takes a break from some of the more standoffish sound of the earlier tracks, choosing to go with a simpler and more streamlined sound.
As the most raw and unfiltered track on Sucker Punch, “Dynamite” serves as an emotional send-off for the artist’s debut album. An acoustic version of the same track from her debut EP, the song speaks to Sigrid's struggle between balancing music and her personal life. This touching piano ballad shows the downside to loving what you do. When work no longer feels like work, it can be difficult to separate it from real life, and in the narrative of this song, Sigrid is being driven away from someone she loves. This division is not due to personal differences, but rather because Sigrid’s lifestyle simply isn't allowing her enough time to be committed to this relationship. It’s a difference of destination and perspective, with her walking away from her relationships and deeper into her work, while they head home, waiting for Sigrid to do the same. Closing off the album with poignant punch, she warns herself, just as she warns others, of how lonely such a life can be without setting limits and allowing you to lose not only your relationships, but also yourself.
As a whole, Sucker Punch remains a truly outstanding debut album in today’s world of pop. With passionate vocals, down to earth themes, and melodies to rival today’s top artists, Sigrid encourages listeners to care for themselves and to demand to be heard. With the potential seen in Sucker Punch, it is only a matter of time before her music starts topping the charts worldwide.
Make sure to check out Sucker Punch here.
Written by: Hannah Wayland
Edited by: Gianna Cicchetti & Meg Clemmensen