Sydney Rose is a quiet but undeniable presence in 'I Know What I Want'

Sydney Rose has soared into the mainstream scene over the last few months, marking an incredible breakthrough. With honest lyricism and musical storytelling that feels like a warm hug in a safe space, she has already won the hearts of fans across the world. She is a true comfort artist in every sense, and with the release of ‘I Know What I Want’, her reach is only set to grow, exposing her tender sound to even more new listeners.

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The first few guitar strums of ‘31’ immediately fill the room with genuine warmth, and the introduction of the vocals feels like a whisper straight into your soul. The sound is raw, almost as if it was captured in a single take with only the most sincere emotions felt right at the time. The lyrics feel like they represent the echoes of Sydney’s heart, with lines like ‘I used to ask myself as a kid why does growing up so long’. The harmonies here are stunning as they carry a bittersweet beauty. The repetition of ‘all I do is go back it’s all I do’ is a loop that aches, reflecting the longing for something familiar, relating to the classic ‘grass is greener’ notion when the realities of adulthood come flooding in. When dreams misalign with this reality, lines like ‘would you still consider marriage if we’re not happy by 31’ show the sense of urgency of settling in something you can cling to, just to feel a sense of comfort. Melancholy seeps into every corner of this opening track, it makes the listener reflect on those tender moments that are so deeply human.

‘Listen To The Birds’ is a beautiful track that feels like poetry. Lyrics like ‘the colours start to blend together’ and ‘stay for as long as you need’ depict an overwhelming buildup of emotion when you are faced with the inability to see past the weight of your own despair. Life can become so blurry and it is hard to imagine overcoming this trouble, and this is exactly where the verse sits. What makes this song interesting is that a remedy is offered by the chorus. It invites you to a moment to pause, reflect on life's quietness, and be present to allow change. It feels like a shedding of that version of you that resists hope and feeds into the darkness. The chorus feels like finding the light again, while still allowing space to feel everything fully on the way to a place of happiness. The inclusion of the birds chirping as the song fades out feels like a perfect closing note, symbolic of the subtle optimism of a new day and opportunities. She delightfully explores the full spectrum of human emotion. We return again to the feeling of comfort, that we often visit throughout this EP.

‘5 more minutes’ serves not only as the lead track of the EP but also stands out as a true musical highlight. ‘It’s all I wanted but not what I thought’ and ‘I slide down the snow in the backyard with my older brother’ provides a nostalgic snapshot of childhood, simple moments that carry a sudden weight of longing for how you thought life would turn out. The chorus admitting ‘I got so old so fast’ hits like a sigh at the echoes of the past, yearning to the moments before time slipped away in an instant. There is a clear essence of Phoebe Bridgers’ influence here, as Sydney shares the same incredible ability to take the most mundane details and turn them into something profound, providing the voice for so many tender, bruised thoughts. The inclusion of ‘I cannot go back’ provides a poignant and beautiful callback to the lyric ‘now all I do is go back’ seen in the EP’s opener, '31', tying the songs together as we unpack the overarching narrative. The plea for ‘five more minutes’ captures a longing to hit snooze on real life, pausing to remain in the safety of this fading dream of the past, before life inevitably wakes you back up to the present day.

via Instagram: @katesphotobook

‘‘Thank You For Trying’ is a deep breath inwards. The chords carry the story and place us into an immediately quiet, vulnerable space that the lyrics can enhance even further. The track is confessional, with lines like ‘I sit in the closet / I cry every time that we talk’ serving as a benchmark for Sydney's state of mind as this connection has shattered, and we can really feel this wounding. The words read like an unfiltered letter to someone who honestly saw the real her. ‘I snap and I bite and all I do is fight knowing that you could do better’ illustrates the feeling of loving someone so much that you sabotage it, held back by your own insecurities and fears of being inadequate. The song opens a window into Sydney's room of solitude, built through a means of self-protection. We are invited to take a peek, even sit beside her in this stillness. As the lyrics fade out, we are left with just an instrumental. This wholeheartedly encapsulates her feelings without the need to say another word. It is simply a delicate expression of everything left unsaid, making this track feel so complete as it gives closure to her, and us, without a defined final thought.

Sydney is soft-spoken, yet her presence carries an undeniable gravity in 'Dogs I Pass On The Street'. We feel an essence of solitude cling to every word as we reach the end of this EP, as she speaks on the content lives of the dogs she encounters. There is an aching feeling as she contemplates their lack of burden and heaviness of human emotion. This is captured by the line 'I've been chasing my own tail my entire life', speaking to the feeling of finding yourself lost in the cycle, unable to be released by the repetition of the mundane to live entirely free. Identity is pondered throughout this track, with lines like 'I want them to know me like I know myself / every day I'm learning to be someone else'. This admission speaks to the disconnect of how we are perceived, and if we are even living our truth. The track feels complex and battles an internal conflict. The repetition of 'I know what I want' lands like a statement of strength as the song closes. While there is a restraint in its delivery, it only enhances her emotions and makes them even more palpable.

Sydney Rose turns personal confessions into collective comfort for emotions we all know and succumb to at times. Each lyric narrates a page from her lived story, but their impact goes far beyond the song to provide a companion to listeners on the hard days, her music can hold you when all else falls short. This EP is beautifully crafted.

Sydney, go get that Phoebe Bridgers collaboration, we are waiting (with tissues...)