Sydney Rose finds healing in the haze of growing up
Sydney Rose is no stranger to vulnerability. The indie singer-songwriter has caught attention with her viral track “We Hug Now,” but her latest EP , I Know What I Want proves she’s a storyteller with a knack for turning emotional bruises into something beautiful. Across just a few tracks, Sydney stitches together the ache of young adulthood with the clarity of someone already learning how to let go.
With “We Hug Now,” Sydney Rose captures a heartbreak that feels like betrayal or imbalance. “I have a feeling you got everything you wanted / And you’re not wasting time stuck here like me / You’re just thinkin’ it’s a small thing that happened / The world ended when it happened to me,” suggest the deep idea of betrayal and imbalance, reflecting on the idea that the other person left the situation unscathed, while the other person has moved on, Rose is still in the thick of it, replaying everything, stuck in the aftermath. A soft guitar and lo-fi textures guide the production. Her vocals are raw and intimate, sitting close to the mic, painfully human. Its bedroom pop at its most emotionally articulate, where every sigh and voice crack feels like part of the narrative.
If “We Hug Now” is the end of a chapter, “31” feels like the aftermath. The song is wistful and bittersweet, giving us a glimpse into a relationship that once felt inevitable, but is now lost in the rearview. “It’s hard to think that we’re not talking / I keep an eye out for you when I come home / Would you still consider marriage / If we’re not happy by thirty-one?” The mention of a “marriage pact” isn’t just romantic but deeply human, the kind of safety net we build with people we believe we’ll always have. This moment is especially poignant. It’s wistful, bittersweet—a glimpse into a relationship that once felt inevitable is now lost in the rearview. The mention of a “marriage pact” at 31 isn't just romantic; it’s deeply human, the kind of safety net we build with people we believe we’ll always have. But that illusion cracks under the weight of growing up.
Sydney delivers some of her most emotionally self-aware writing in “Thank You For Trying.” “It’s the way you insist and the way that you kiss me / Makes me wanna tell you I’m sorry / I snap and I bite, and all I do is fight / Knowing that you could do better.” These lines feel like a confession, just a raw admission of emotional defensiveness and insecurity. She pushes love away even while craving it, and that pushback doesn’t come from anger but from the belief that she’s somehow unworthy of it. The production is stripped down, just a gentle guitar and hums that leave plenty of room for her voice to take center stage. Sydney’s delivery is soft and strong. She resists over-sing, instead letting the lyrics breathe and settle into silence.
Sydney Rose’s EP doesn’t just ask to be heard – it asks to be felt. With each song, she offers a different shade of goodbye. Her production choices reflect an artist who understands that her vocals prove emotion and they don’t need to be belted to be big. This is an EP made for quiet nights and long drives, for crying on the bathroom floor and texting your ex one last time. For fans of Lizzy McAlpine or early Phoebe Bridgers, Sydney Rose’s music will feel like home: messy, quiet, and full of meaning. Get your tickets for Sydney Rose’s tour here.
