header image: edwig henson
words: aggy kazlauskas
the musician talks to us about her deeply personal new ep
when it comes to valley girl problems, kylie cantrall can probably name a few. hailing from the city of angels, the multi-hyphenate star has worn many hats – actor, dancer, singer-songwriter – since she was a teen; granted, it’d be easy to assume that learning to juggle fame and personal boundaries, oftentimes under a microscopic lens, is a skill that the twenty-one-year-old musician perfected years ago – alas, grappling with public scrutiny is an everlasting work in progress, and cantrall knows it all too well.
but as of now, she’s ablaze with excitement. her sophomore ep, valley girl problems, is finally here and she had just finished headlining her first sold-out show at the roxy in west hollywood. writing the nine-track project, a culmination of yesteryear’s hurdles and victories, has been nothing short of cathartic for her – that much is clear from the very moment she joins our zoom call. “having it out in the world and letting it be something for everyone else to hopefully resonate with and interpret it however it fits them in their life,” she says, “that’s going to be really exciting and i can’t wait to see people’s reactions.”
spearheading the ep is ‘carrie bradshaw’, a y2k inspired, electro-r&b driven offering in which cantrall turns to sarah jessica parker’s globally adored character for reassurance. “these tears are designer, my baggage is vintage / this city gets heavy, but i carry it all,” cantrall sings in the chorus. the lyrics deploy witty wordplay to paint a stark contrast to the glossy synths and punchy programmed drums, resulting in a cinematic number that explores big feelings without overintellectualising them – the reality is that coming-of-age hasn’t been easy for the musician. “i had a whole different title and idea for this album originally,” she reveals. “it was going to be full of these uptempo, baddie anthems – and then i just started experiencing some really painful sh*t.”
reflecting on the emotional state she was in while working on the ep, cantrall affirms that “it’s so critical to follow your gut” and be guided by the things you feel “called to” in the moment. according to her, real life is the ultimate source of inspiration. “you just can’t ignore your feelings,” she says, describing ‘carrie bradshaw’ as the “perfect way” to introduce this era. indeed, the lead single taps into a wide array of ideas, from identity and finding beauty in the pain to the fear of losing people and using fashion as a motif to remind everyone that even pretty things than can be flawed – all of which cantrall refers to as the “overarching themes” of valley girl problems.
the ep’s closer ‘space between’ is rooted in parallel melancholy and retrospection, detailing out an unexpected conclusion to a four-year friendship – a notion that’s not only personal, but also defensibly confessional.
while there has been lots of chatter and speculation regarding who it was written about, the song’s pensive lyricism is more than capable of conveying its message without the need of naming names: “when you’re with him, do you think of the past? / like how your first kiss was three days from our last / and it’s sad, but it’s true, don’t recognize you,” cantrall doesn’t hold back in the second verse – and yes, being so open can turn daunting real quick; it’s the first album roll-out that has caught cantrall in a swivet. “this is such a real piece of me, especially coming from [disney’s] descendants and playing a character,” she opens up. “with music, you’re on display.”
despite the blinding spotlight, there’s no doubt that songwriting is cantrall’s purpose – and she’s aware of the power it yields. “it’s supposed to be the thing that connects people to each other because people are like, ‘damn, i went through the same thing,’” she specifies. “so even though it’s scary, i’m trying to think about the people it can hopefully heal – that’s my goal, and that’s what’s most important.”
valley girl problems, which cantrall describes as visually “pink, blue, and purple”, arrives over a year since the release of her debut ep, b.o.y. – needless to say, the artistic growth is undeniable: her pen game is razor-sharp and firm in its contemporary point-of-view; her charismatic poise is in tasteful abundance; and her vocals now soar alongside producer tricky stewart’s sonical grandeur, which he has previously lent to the likes of rihanna, britney spears, and mariah carey.
“i’ve grown up so much in the last year, and i’ve gone through some really pivotal moments that changed my whole perspective on life,” cantrall reflects, pointing to navigating both personal and work relationships, balancing the two while on tour, and losing people she thought would be by her side forever as the culprits behind her accelerated growing pains. “these things are so impactful,” she doubles down, emphasising that getting to process emotions in real time resulted in a body-of-work that depicts her at her most authentic self.
although the are no official features on the project, cantrall does reveal the musician whom her dream collab would be with: “i love kehlani so much,” she says, thinking back to a recent encounter with her idol, who didn’t hesitate to sing the praises of ‘carrie bradshaw’ – naturally, cantrall hints that she’d love to get her involved on the remix of that track one day: “she’s definitely someone on my dream collaborator list.”
speaking of working with stewart, a music industry veteran whose glossy, high-calibre sound is particularly prominent on valley girl problems, cantrall fondly recalls a time in the studio when they tried to decide whether to add extra synths or reign them in to make room for more striking chords. “the both of us collaborating created this cool thing,” she tells me, highlighting how their individual musical influences and styles really complement one another – a testament to unshakeable teamwork, which shines extra bright on the ep’s more self-assured moments ‘closet’ and ‘girls like u’, with cantrall spotlighting the latter of the two as a “really special” addition to her discography. “i love the production, it’s a little more hard-hitting and the beat is more aggressive,” she says of the track. “and i really like talking my sh*t.” certainly, her candid demeanour represents the ep’s dual nature, equal parts assertive and transparent in its vulnerability when the adrenaline wears off.
finishing the ep, her first release under republic records, felt like a much-needed victory lap for cantrall. “i’ve learnt so much about myself and what my boundaries are, what my values are,” she says. “that definitely comes as a big part of going through things, you learn so much about yourself throughout the process.”
for an artist who started off by challenging herself to ten-minute songwriting sprints on social media, cantrall now takes her time with her craft – and the proof is in the pudding. valley girl problems is cohesive, lyrically accessible, and skillful. even the interludes, ominous in their presence, add to the project’s honest storytelling, which revolves around a friendship lost in a love triangle. “i feel like i’m entering this new era of my artistry,” cantrall claims. “i feel a lot of creative empowerment and freedom, and i’m just excited to continue down this path.”
when the conversation turns to what her listeners can expect in the future, cantrall declares that she isn’t one to tie herself to a singular sound. “i’m a really big soul, jazz fan; i’m constantly listening to marvin gaye, erykah badu, and amy winehouse, and i have so many influences – it’ll be cool to see how i’m going to bring all these flavours eventually,” she explains. “and that’s the coolest part about being an artist, you can just continue to reinvent yourself, reinvent your sound – and i’m excited to have the fans grow with me and experience my evolution.”
