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Photo: Edgar Daniel

To experience life is to fully open yourself up to the full spectrum of the human heart—from its perfectly indescribable peaks, disorienting lows, to the humdrum monotony that constitutes the large majority of everything in between. And with the release of her latest project, girls like me don’t cry, rising star thuy fully accepts the pangs and wants of the heart, searching out moments of empowerment and self-acceptance hidden just behind luscious pop-R&B.

girls like me don’t cry is an EP that arrives in direct opposition to its namesake. Over the course of seven entrancing tracks, thuy fully embraces the overwhelming nature of lust and love, tracing a path from infatuation to deep-seated trust, all while being careful not to shy away from the insecurities that hide just behind each new step forward.

Opening with “u should feel special,” thuy elicits an infectious Ariana Grande pop bounce while channeling a self-assuredness that practically seeps off the track. However, this carefree fling quickly changes gears as thuy finds herself falling head over heels, battling with her own emotions, in the ensuing “obsessed.” It’s an emotional upheaval that regularly defines girls like me don’t cry as the impassioned songstress rediscovers herself in the context of a newfound relationship, unveiling the cracks in her armor to reveal a version of herself that is stronger for all she’s been through.

“It’s okay to cry,” shares thuy. “Crying is not a sign of weakness; crying is when you are in tune with yourself, and you let it out and then go back to go back to your life. When I wrote this song, I was trying to tough it out during a really hard time in my life, and all I wanted to do was let it out. Once I did, I felt like a huge weight off my shoulder, and it showed me that I can have and show emotion but still be strong at the same time.”

The titular and closing track “girls like me don’t cry,” which arrives alongside a striking visual, sees thuy in a moment of sonic nirvana, floating atop production that is as light as she throws out grin-inducing lines like “Been through some shit / Wear my heart on my sleeve so it’s hard to miss.” It’s a well-deserved victory strut that sees her building on everything that’s come before to bask in one final moment of pop-R&B bliss before she galavants off into the unknown sunset. 

Listen to girls like me don't cry below: