Album Review: girli - 'it’s just my opinion'
It’s hard to believe that she’s already been making music for over ten years now, but this is not girli’s first rodeo. Since the release of her debut album Odd One Out, and further pushed with her follow-up Matriarchy, the London artist has been reaching new heights with every year that passes. Now with her latest full-length, she’s on top of the world; where she belongs. But that’s just her opinion.
Being a standout storyteller, girli made a name for herself for bringing social issues to the forefront with her alternative-pop sound being the messenger. From human rights to politics, from the importance of her identity to the erasure of identities in others, she has never played a safe game and everyone is watched, judged, and if necessary, called out in song. it’s just my opinion follows the same formula but switches the mood; either as a reaction to living in a world constantly turning backwards or just a style change to match her current energy.
The record starts with ‘Blue Sky’, an alternative-bedroom-pop track about wanting to gain control in an uncontrollable world. Touching on everyday social anxiety and turning away from old-fashioned expectations, girli just wants to lie under a “blue blue sky, in the place of the ceiling” so she can finally be at peace.
It kicks the album off with what can be inferred as a succinct summary of what living in this modern-day environment: everything is unpredictable, and unpredictability brings on stress, pain, and tiredness. All to a point that all one dreams of is nothing: no noise, no responsibilities, just clarity and emptiness. It’s a relatable point that everyone gets to at one time or another, and to express this moment with a catchy pop-filled rhythm hammers home the inevitability that all calm and quiet is only temporary. But even a temporary break can be good for the soul.
Following this up is ‘Slap On The Wrist’, an anthem about the realities of living as a woman in today’s society. Detailing common precautions women will take to stay safe outside the home, such as covering their drinks on a date or holding keys between their fingers, it’s a story that resonates with thousands - if not millions - of people around the world of all cultures, genders, sexual orientations.
Jumping up the pace, girli wishes for a moment where the roles are reversed. Dreaming about, “If I could be king for a day” she would be able to move through the day confidently; and if assaulters and apologists “could be the queen for a change” so they get to experience the same actions and feel the aftermath that stays with it. It’s less a wish for revenge and more a wish for compassion and empathy, but coming to the fact that many people will only believe it if they could see, hear and feel it all for themselves. She says that anyone in her place would “feel the rage”, and someday when that rage is felt will be when everything improves and people like girli can do anything and everything they want to.
The playthrough of it’s just my opinion reads as chapters of the lifelong story of the average girl-next-door: the sensual dance-pop ode of ‘Light In The Dark’; the powerhouse queer heartbreak anthem of ‘Lifestyle’; and the chant-worthy story about friends turned lovers of ‘Better Undressed’. With ups and downs, good mornings and bad nights, the story comes to a close with the satisfying seal that is ‘The Answer’. With a range of topics of ambiguity, disappointment, uncontrollability and heartache, this is the most fulfilling way to close this record.
‘The Answer’ is a romantic fantasy that is as high in the sky as it is planted in the ground. It’s a reminder that love and passion is still real and still out there, and that it can happen in everyone’s lifetime in one way or another. This is a track that will be a favourite of the fans, as well as a favourite for live performances. That layered callout of, “You’re the answer” will be a popular one in many gigs to come, and will mean even more for the strong-held community that’s been built between girli and her fanbase.
Since she debuted in the scene in 2015, girli has only been rising higher and higher while growing stronger and braver, and with a decade under her belt with it’s just my opinion, it looks like she’s found her footing in music. She is the voice of a new alt-pop blend of pro-feminist ideals and counter-culture authenticity. But really, it’s just my opinion…
Words by Jo Cosgrove
