There’s a great deal of purposeful introspection in ‘Upset’. In fact, the piece feels honest and authentic, the result of a long process of internal reckoning expressed through a crucial artistic catharsis. ‘Upset’ is exactly that, a slice of personal experience delivered by the stunning, evocative vocals of Brussels-based songstress Mona MIO. Framed into a wider EP, ‘Into The Light’, the song uncovers the various ways people can use addictive substances in order to escape reality.
Yet, the record goes even deeper, seeking to explore the origins of such a destructive behaviour. The result is a nuanced yet hard-hitting cut, one that we are confident will relate to a large number of folks out there. After all, struggling to manage alcohol in social situations is a pretty common issue. From a sonic standpoint, ‘Upset’ is wrapped into luscious soul and R&B goodness, delivering a listening experience that’s elegant and hypnotic, catchy and melodic.
Delving deeper into the meaningful ethos that propels the single, Mona MIO explains: “Upset is the anger I felt towards myself after a night where I had gone too far. For a long time, I thought I was just drinking ‘a bit too much’, when in reality I was trying to numb something much deeper. Whenever anxiety would rise, especially in public, I would drink to silence those voices in my head. Over time, I realised it came from much deeper wounds, years of harassment, shame and violence. I learned to pretend, to wear a mask. But inside, it was screaming, deeply alone.”
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