By Lexi Matuson | 16 September, 2022
Rising star Kings Elliot has dropped a new single from her upcoming EP Bored Of The Circus called “Cry, Baby, Cry” where she accepts vulnerability within herself instead of denying it. Amidst opening for Imagine Dragons on their North American stadium tour, her ballad explores her inner emotions. According to Elliot, she wrote the song “as a letter to [her] 14 year old self” who wished someone gave her the same advice. Describing the song as an anti-lullaby, Kings Elliot believes her latest single is something that everyone needs to hear – they can show emotions and not be seen as weak or lesser than. With influences like Billie Eilish and Kate Bush, Kings Elliot’s rawness is felt through her music. Her voice is soft, yet powerful, mirroring her lyrics.
Mental health is an issue that Kings Elliot is bringing to the forefront of her music, with lyrics like “your messed up mind is not so strange.” Other tracks from this project that have been released also include mental health themes. Her lyrics in “Butterfly Pen” describe crying herself to sleep and “‘Til I Die” mentions “sleepless nights and lonely lullabies.” Kings Elliot recounts how “no one ever told [her] that everybody breaks,” which led her to believe emoting was weak.
However, she finds strength in her emotions and comes to terms with them in “Cry,Baby, Cry”. The song’s production mirrors the gentle subject matter, growing in power as Kings Elliot finds her strength. The chorus of vocals in the post-chorus mimic her telling herself this mantra over and over again – there is power in emotions.
Kings Elliot has shown that there’s strength in allowing yourself to feel. Powerful women in the public eye are expected to be fearless and emotions tend to be seen as fragility. Not only is Elliot reassuring herself, but she’s also relaying that sentiment to her fans. In an age of social media perfection, it’s important to be reminded that you don’t always have to put on your best face. Kings Elliot is reminding us all that it’s okay to “Cry, Baby, Cry.”
