Claire Rosinkranz Reintroduces Herself On Flowery And Flawless Sophomore LP 'My Lover'
Photo by Sabra Binder
Claire Rosinkranz has always had a knack for bottling lightning, with fizzy, sugar-rush hooks that feel like they were crafted for maximum replay value. But on her sophomore album My Lover, she sharpens that instinct into something more dimensional. It’s an album that balances euphoric pop hooks with raw vulnerability, proving once again that she’s a master at blending intimacy and irreverence.
The artist shared in a statement about the album, “My Lover is an honest reintroduction to me and my world. It explores many different relationships in my life — romantic love, my relationship to sickness and health, friendships and much more. I drew inspiration from the imagery of a garden, where pruning, picking, watering, and blooming all coexist, where life and death can exist side by side and still be beautiful. Each song feels like its own piece of the garden, and together they speak to the person I am right now.”
From the first notes of “City,” Rosinkranz paints a picture of a perfect NYC summer night dappled with racing piano riffs paired with scenes of dizzying bike rides and the thrill of almost-connection. It’s playful, cinematic pop laced with lines like, “We’re getting weaker, hot like a fever/ I think we’re good for each other.” It’s an intro track made for maximum hits of dopamine, yet stays grounded in the tangible excitement of youth. The excitement slows down on the title track, “My Lover,” which exposes the stakes of genuine connection. Rosinkranz confesses, “I told my lover that I have a lot to prove / Ever since I came into collision with you,” while the chorus crystallizes the fear of someone walking away with all your smiles, dreams, and insecurities, crooning “Pretty please, don’t go looking to leave-eave-eave.”
“Lucy” is a deeply introspective and tense track, a reflection on the act of holding back and protecting oneself. “Bubbling up inside of her gut / The words are on the way, but they get stuck” reflects the tension between reaching out and holding back. It’s a very different experience from the highs of the preceding songs, and it’s a reflection of the tension between reaching out and holding back. “I Wanna Be In Love So Bad” is a song that embraces both the idea of whimsy and the idea of chaos, using picnics, cab rides, and the act of karate chops as a metaphor for emotional love, but the pre-chorus, “Why / Why does it matter at all?” is a reminder that even in the act of joy, there is consequence.
Rosinkranz turns up the intimacy on “Home (Claire’s Version),” where desire is tactile, obsessive, and cinematic. She slows the album to a heartbeat of vulnerability, singing with dulcet tones, “Can I open up myself? / Got a scar from someone else,” and the chorus, “But it’s when you touch me / And never judge me / It takes me right back home,” laying bare the push-and-pull of emotional risk.
“Funeral” and “Bleeding Violet” are cinematic and immersive, exploring the intensity of love and the thrill of sensory overload. In “Funeral,” devotion is overwhelming: “I cry like it’s a funeral / Face burning, world turning, melodies / Bleed into my jealousy.” “Bleeding Violet” captures the disorientation and beauty of being alive in the moment: “I’m lonely but I like it / The sky is bleeding violet.” Both tracks highlight Rosinkranz’s ability to translate fleeting internal experiences into richly textured soundscapes.
Lightness comes flooding back with “Dancer,” “Jayden,” and “Dime,” where love, touch, and fun reign supreme. Butterflies flutter, sensual dance moves, and the intertwining of devotion make even the smallest moments feel epic. And then, finally, comes the explosive “Crazy Bitch Song,” which erupts into the album’s dramatic, messy exclamation point: “Maybe I’m crazy / Maybe I don’t care / You had me on the floor, ripping out my hair.” It’s a mess of chaos, humor, and complete, utter unapologeticness, a reminder that Rosinkranz’s world is colorful, unpredictable, and completely hers.
My Lover is more than just a series of pop-infused hits. It’s an expertly tended garden of emotions, ranging from flirtation and fun to heartbreak and raw, personal introspection. Claire Rosinkranz shows she has the chops to handle joy, vulnerability, and complete, utter ridiculousness all at once. The album is both commercial and deeply, deeply personal, a world of sticky hooks and emotional truth that lingers long after the last note has faded away. With My Lover, Rosinkranz doesn’t just bring the pop, she brings the heart, the complexity, and the artist completely in control of her voice.
Listen to My Lover below:
