Caroline Rose - Superstar

With her early beginnings in guitar-twanging country, Caroline Rose began laying the groundwork for an alt-pop crossover with 2018’s ‘Loner’. Tackling misogyny and other woes with candour and humour, it was a sleeper hit - a sign that her talents could cross over to the sort of radio play that didn’t require Stetsons and a cowboy hat. Fast forward a year, and although ‘Superstar’ certainly reaches for the stars in its slick production, her wit doesn’t sparkle as strongly, and its theme of an awkward outsider trying to chase success feels a little too close to home: ‘Do You think We’ll Last Forever’ and ‘Freak Like Me’ hum along pleasantly, but don’t linger long in the memory. Where she does succeed is with ‘Feel The Way I Want’, channelling the self-love of Lizzo and Paramore’s ‘80s pop to create something special, toeing the line of narcissism and irony perfectly. The only time she sounds truly in on her own joke, it proves that her ascent to superstardom isn’t impossible - it just might take a little longer than planned.