Chelsea Cutler is brutally honest in new single ‘I Don’t Feel Alive’

“Skin and bones, stomach aches, lucid dreams, hold my breath when I’m wide awake,” the 26-year-old singer-songwriter returns with ‘I Don’t Feel Alive,’ the newest single from her upcoming third studio album. Written as an honest and real representation of the last year of Cutler’s life, the single serves as an explanation for the songwriter’s extensive break from social media.

The song opens with a lively beat driven by multiple guitars and an underlying piano. Cutler quotes the upbeat progression as the basis of the song, creating an atmosphere for listeners to sing and scream their feelings. “Swallow seeds, but the fruit never seems to grow. Validate, what I know, what I believe in and everywhere I wanna go. If I could, I’d wake myself up when I am somebody that I’m proud of.” Each set of lyrics follows a repetitive pattern, putting listeners in the mindset of spinning in circles, feeling as though everything is going down “a very dangerous drain.” 

The simplicity of the song seems to be what makes it the most powerful. In ‘The Making of Chelsea Cutler’s I Don’t Feel Alive,’ Cutler repeatedly mentions how simple she kept the song. From the progression to the lyrical pattern, she’s paring down very complicated, dark feelings into a space that’s sing-songy and positive. Opening up the ability for others to relate to her emotions without completely putting themselves in that headspace. 

“I keep coming up for air and (no, I don’t feel alive) ending up with water in my lungs.”

The honesty and emotion of ‘I Don’t Feel Alive’ have listeners on the edge of their seats for Cutler’s third studio album and already embracing this latest chapter in Cutler’s music.