Camille Schmidt Pairs Personal Growth with Blunt Self-Awareness on "XOXO"
Budding folk pop darling Camille Schmidt may have only made her debut this year, but shows no signs of slowing down. Her EP Good Person was released in June and the follow up has already arrived, in the form of the distorted diary entry that is “XOXO”. The new single explores personal growth with a potent amount of self-awareness. Camille’s smart songwriting is full of personality, balancing humor with an underlying weight of hard truth.
Beginning with a distinctive drum pattern and a featherlight synth, “XOXO” captures the listeners attention immediately. Enter Schmidt’s alluring, distorted vocals and it’s hard not to be hooked. She sings about the in-between experience of being in your 20’s, which comes with self soothing and the impossible task of living in the present moment. From memorable lyrics like, “2 moms make a real fucking baddie” and “Did you hear I’m a nepo baby? I am Mother Nature’s favorite kid” to the addicting melody, this track is sure to stick around in your brain for days.
During the last chorus, the production becomes more heavy and hectic, and Schmidt’s distorted vocals are emphasized for a fun and impactful finish. With its purposeful production elements and sonic manipulation, “XOXO” acts as armor to present Schmidt’s deepest thoughts with a layer of needed protection. In a track about killing your old self, replacing it with a machine-like presence is an interesting choice that showcases Schmidt’s creative vision.
“XOXO” is a taste of Camille Schmidt’s upcoming debut album, Nude #9, and the prolific artist shares that when writing the album, “I thought, what if I stop trying to get good with myself? With anyone else? What if I just reflect the truth of what I’ve seen? What if I just say what happened?” Truth is an extremely relevant topic to explore, and we can’t wait to hear what’s next from this blossoming songwriter.
