When she’s only 15, Piper Connolly shows that she’s too much and seems entirely at ease with the idea of asserting herself. In the six tracks that make up the EP, the alt-pop/pop-rock artist from Los Angeles turns the expression ‘too much’ into an empowering statement, at the same time keeping the songs grounded in the messy contradictions of growing up. The song ‘beautiful life’ opens the EP with a sense of energetic possibility, whereas ‘body bag’ introduces a darker and sharper tone that at once proves Connolly has no intention of staying always sweet and polished. Although there is confidence present, there is also vulnerability, and it is this combination that gives the record so much of its character.
The album truly establishes its character in the song called “bubblegum with razorblades”, in which Connolly combines an attractive pop instinct with a far more sharp element underneath. The title says a great deal regarding the song: it appears to be playful at first, but there is in fact a strong edge to it. The word “unapologetic” takes this stance even further, while “joyride” reflects the excitement and recklessness experienced during a stage of life when things can seem thrilling in one moment and uncertain in the next. “Better than this” provides another emotional dimension, so that the entire collection moves from humour to heartbreak, from confidence to self-doubt without attempting to fit those different feelings into a neat pattern.
What makes *she’s too much!* so special is the fact that Piper Connolly has a clear understanding of the world she is creating around these songs. Although the music has the kind of catchy, immediate quality typical of pop, the use of guitars and the direct expression of emotion give it a sharp edge so that it doesn’t end up sounding excessively refined. Her visual style, in particular in the case of “bubblegum with razorblades”, underlines the same contrast between sweet, energetic vibes and more sombre emotions. Having already received support from Apple Music’s editorial team, attention from international radio, a nomination for the Hollywood Independent Music Award and recognition as Meta’s Artist of the Day, Connolly is gaining momentum, but the EP itself is the key element: it consists of six songs that show an artist discovering who she is while at the same time refusing to shrink herself.
Piper Connolly doesn’t merely accept the fact that she is ‘too much’—she makes that aspect the most prominent and keenest part of her artistic identity.
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