At only 24 years old, Connie Constance has already made quite a name for herself and is continuing to leave a lasting impression on people with her music. Originally from Watford, the British artist grew up feeling like the odd one out as a mixed-race child. Her album, English Rose, perfectly conveys the emotions Constance was struggling with at a young age. Between emotive vocals and a diverse sound of production throughout each song, this album is definitely one you will want to dive into.
The title track takes the listener through her emotional journey of feeling like an outsider. “Constance’s should-be-definitive version takes the historically white privileging term ‘English rose’ and re-figures it as a symbol for the porous, prismatic nature of British identity,” (Owen Meyers, Pitchfork). The track is filled with beautiful vocals and piano arrangements, really conveying the sense of sadness Constance is trying to let the listeners feel.
BBC News recently interviewed Connie about the album. They spoke about a track titled “Bloody British Me,” in which Connie – the only dual heritage person from a white Watford family – declares that British blood ain’t all the same…”We’re all from these different cultures now really,” she explains. “But there are so many things that we’re so in line with, no matter where you are from, or whether you are left or right...So that’s kind of my tune that represents how I’m feeling and how a lot of people I think are feeling about what’s going on with the Brexit thing,” added Connie, with an air of bluntness that has “arguably been missing over at Whitehall,” (Paul Glynn, BBC News).
The album closes with a track titled “End Credits (Sober).” This track leaves the listener on a high note, with an upbeat vibe that’s easy to listen to. The lyrics, however, repeat the phrase “message me when you’re sober” quite a few times, leaving us wondering who and what Constance is telling us about. The track is relatable and wraps up the album nicely. If you like artists like Laura Misch, Poppy Ajudah, or Robyn, I would highly suggest taking a listen to this album, and Connie in general!