Insularity might be the best element of quarantine-era pop, and not just because of how it creates more intimacy between artists and their listeners. There’s something comforting about total self-awareness in western lyrics that has always sold well with audiences for decades. Raquel Kiaraa is entering the spotlight at arguably one of the most unpredictable and trying periods for new artists in the history of pop. But in her debut single “Love to the Moon,” she exhibits much of the personable and introspective attitude that has become synonymous with the provocative talent coming out of the woodwork in the 2020’s so far.
As much as I love the lyrical premise of “Love to the Moon,” the way this track was mixed leaves a lot to be desired. Everything sounds so cluttered, as though one instrument is being pushed on top of another, that there are moments in which Kiaraa herself is the only redeemable quality here.
I want more of her voice and less of the fireworks that were pinned to it in this performance. Aside from the other components of the single, the woman of the hour is undeniably playing to star-caliber expectations and beyond.
Raquel Kiaraa might not be ready for the big leagues yet, but she’s got the voice of an angel who belongs in an elite ‘young artists to watch’ list. “Love to the Moon” sees producers waffling more than it does the artist at center stage coming up short. At its core I think the composition could absolutely be rerecorded with less instrumental filler and sound as enticing as Kiaraa had originally hoped it would. I think we’re going to hear some amazing music from this player in the next year. Her linguistic lashings in this piece are just the beginning.
