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Photo:  Kyli Bailey

The self-awareness and vulnerability of 16-year-old Evann McIntosh's lyricism is enviable, as is her musical talent. Growing up, it was clear McIntosh was destined for stardom. Drawing inspirations from '90s R&B and '70s rock music, she began playing the guitar and writing songs at the age of nine. Since then, she has been perfecting her craft and creating a unique blend of R&B and bedroom pop that is all her own.

Her breakout single "What Dreams Are Made Of," which appears on her self-released 2019 debut album, MOJO, is the sonic equivalent of getting butterflies in your stomach. In McIntosh's words,

"'What Dreams Are Made Of' is a song I wrote about the immediate high that comes with falling in love with someone. The idea of the relationship rather than the reality of it."

It tells the all too familiar story of falling in love with a reality that doesn't yet exist and getting swept up in your emotions. That moment when you're lying in bed daydreaming about the person that you can't get out of your head. The excitement of the unknown that comes with the prospect of a new relationship. The song opens with notes sounding like they're from a music box, bringing a wave of nostalgia over the listener before McIntosh's voice melts seamlessly into the song's production.

The video is equally as stunning as the song, beginning with shots of McIntosh in her bedroom before soaring through a cotton candy sky while sitting on her bed. Directed by JR Strickland, who has worked with artists including Cardi B, Ariana Grande, and Summer Walker, he describes the video as,

"a piece that has many layers to it and matches Evann's vibe. Her producer, Jesty Beatz, came to me with the idea of her flying through the clouds in her bed, and I built a deeper story with some subtext around that. The ballerina represents her lost lover and her mind takes her on a trip mimicking the emotional roller coaster that love can take us on."

Watch the "What Dreams Are Made Of" video below: