Matilda Eyre’s hazy, hypnotic debut single “FYA” is a dark ode to the self that explores societal pressure and detachment.
for fans of Glass Animals, The xx, James Blake
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Just as there will always be a little light in the dark, there is a little darkness in every light. A frown behind a smile; a tear beneath a laugh. Life is difficult; fitting in isn’t as simple as 1-2-3; and while some manage to be open about their struggles, most of us bottle ourselves up, crafting an external identity that doesn’t always match the person lurking within. What do we do for others’ approval, and what do we do for our own personal peace and satisfaction? Matilda Eyre’s hazy, hypnotic introductory single “FYA” is a dark ode to the self that explores societal pressure and detachment.
There was a child, run wild.
There was a beast, not your feast.
There was a child, run wild.
There was a beast, not your feast.
Listen: “FYA” – Matilda Eyre
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/449980305?secret_token=s-hT3PN” params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “FYA,” Matilda Eyre’s emphatic debut single. Self-described as “eerie indie pop,” the Germany-cum-London artist’s first single melds the alternative pop and electronic landscapes in such a way that recalls artists like Glass Animals, Sevdaliza, and The xx. Eyre’s sound is minimalist, yet grand; representing the phrase FOR YOUR APPROVAL, “FYA” brings listeners into a cloudy world full of shadows and masks.
When your mother came to
kiss you, were you reckless
were you wild.
When your father came to rescue
were you already dead
When no-one came
to hear all of the stories
When no-one came
to hear all of the stories
“’FYA’ is a song about self-worth. Short for ‘For Your Approval‘, it’s an intimate story about childhood and the stories we make up about ourselves early on,” Matilda Eyre tells Atwood Magazine. “Coming into this life fierce, wild and carefree, we are being shaped by our surroundings until we lose ourselves and start looking for external validation. ‘FYA’ is an ode to your inner joy and ferocity.”
A downtempo alt-pop anthem, “FYA” indulges in our deepest emotional depths. The song’s core storyline recalls that of Glass Animals’ “Life Itself” (off their latest album, How to Be a Human Being), which examines a “societal outcast” as he shares his experience with the world – an experience others might condemn, yet which for him, seems to work just fine. In Matilda Eyre’s case, we sense an extreme darkness inside the indivual: Rather than the “outcast” (which is a horrible word to describe this scenario) feeling okay with their life, they feel such a deep pressure to fit in with society that they surrender their individuality, and in doing so, they lose their spark. “I never wanted more,” Eyre sings in the background of her chorus, as if she’s reaching out to the main character, trying to bring them back; but it’s too late – they’re already gone.
When your mother came to kiss you, were you reckless, were you wild.
When your mother came to kiss you, were you reckless, were you wild.
When your father came to rescue, were you already dead.
It begs the question, what have we let our world come to, when a person has to feel such tremendous anxiety and internal strife just to life amongst other humans? How have things gotten so bad, and is there still time for saving? Eyre may not provide many answers, but in asking the question, she opens a Pandora’s box of emotion that sits with us like a heavy fog, choking our perception and forcing us to look past the surface, as we try to see what’s really there.
Matilda Eyre’s debut single is provocative and enchanting, making a lasting impression and serving as an ideal introduction for a new, promising talent. Stream Matilda Eyre’s debut single “FYA,” exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
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