Upon first listen of Alessia Cara's debut single "Here," I immediately felt a sense of kinship to the 18-year old singer. My teenage years are far behind me, yes, but in social situations, my introversion still reigns supreme. So this song right here most definitely has a place in the soundtrack of my life. (Yo, remember that song by Deemi? Whatever happened to her? I digress...)
In a recent TEDxTeen interview, the Canadian artist expounds, "'Here' is a true story. It’s a party song, but really it's the complete opposite of a party song. It’s absolutely me; it shouts out the person in the corner of the party, looking around uncomfortably. I feel like this song narrates what the wallflower is thinking." Garnering over 500,000 streams in its first week alone, it's clear that Ms. Cara struck a chord with listeners and that her talent has not gone unnoticed.
Well, listening to the song is one thing. But for those of us (and by "us," I mean my fellow introverts, outliers and socially awkward peeps) who've walked a mile in Alessia's shoes, the accompanying visuals will no doubt conjure up some memories. Directed by Aaron A., the video is a creative reenactment of the party that inspired the song's lyrics. The angst-ridden singer wanders through a house filled with partygoers stuck in freeze-frame, vocalizing her feelings with sauntering cadence over a smoky sample of Isaac Hayes' "Ike's Rap II." For added authenticity, many of the people in the video were at the original party.
It will be interesting to see what's next for this promising young artist. In the meantime, check out the official video below, download your copy of "Here" on iTunes and then sing along to the lyric video afterwards.
