Releasing one great EP is a significant achievement, delivering two in the same year makes Winona Oak something of a superwoman. The Swedish artist began 2020 with the pure-pop of CLOSURE and now follows it up with the decidedly darker and more introspective SHE. This time around, the breakout star has some things to get off her chest. The chaotic title track ruminates on the duality of the human condition, while the forlorn “Piano In The Sky” is about coming to terms with the fact that some goals will never be achieved.
If it sounds a little heavy, it is. But in a cathartic kind of way that rewards repeat listening. The EP also includes the defiant banger “With Myself” and a stunning electro-ballad called “The Light,” which haunts with the refrain “just let my heart beat.” Winona puts the sonic shift down to personal growth. “The CLOSURE EP is a little bit more innocent and more about… pure heartbreak,” the 26-year-old told me earlier this year. “Now, I’m older and… I’m not afraid to speak up for myself.” Listen to the staggeringly good SHE below.