We Speak Pop
Natalie Gray opens up on mental health with ‘The Me I Pretend To Be’, out now via Aztec Records!
THE ME I PRETEND TO BE is the latest single from Synth-Pop artist Natalie Gray. Grabbing inspiration from some of Natalie’s favourite artists such as Cyndi Lauper and Madonna, as well as more recent artists such as Paramore, Kings Elliot and Lawrence, this song embodies the desperation of losing yourself and hiding behind a smile and a cliche whilst it feels that your world could crumble at any second.
Following the success of Natalie’s previous single “Fire” supported by BBC introducing, THE ME I PRETEND TO BE steps away from her usual upbeat and colourful sound and brings a more honest and nostalgic feel, touching on the reality of living with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, a theme that a lot of us can relate to. This latest track is Natalie’s first time opening up about her own personal experience with living with PTSD and struggling to find her old self.
Instead of reaching for your hairbrush and throwing your best 80s dance moves infront of the mirror, THE ME I PRETEND TO BE will have you opening your old photo albums and coming face to face with your own demons.
Natalie has teamed up once again with childhood friend and personal agony aunt Jack Craig, (the producer behind “Dance Floor” and “One In A Million”) to create this vulnerable and heartstring grabbing song.
THE ME I PRETEND TO BE comes after Natalie’s first ever UK tour “TAKE BACK THE BEAT” which raised money for Women’s Aid to help support survivors of domestic abuse and violence, a charity very close to Natalie’s heart.
Natalie Gray on Social Media: @natgraymusic
Some songs aren’t just music: they’re milestones. Electric Love, the latest single from Belgian-Rwandan artist AMERY, is more than a comeback: it’s a declaration of freedom. Out now on all platforms, the track captures the emotional release that comes with choosing yourself, even when the world has tried to define you first.
From the first glowing organ chords, Electric Love radiates a quiet strength, the kind that builds slowly, then crashes open like a long-awaited breakthrough. Produced by longtime collaborator James Lowland, it pairs raw emotion with soaring, rock-infused energy, charting AMERY’s journey from fear to self-acceptance. Vulnerable, powerful and gloriously unfiltered, Electric Love feels like a soul set free.
What makes the song hit even harder is the context behind it. Written during one of the darkest chapters of AMERY’s life, it tells the story of a young man watching the foundation beneath him dissolve — his family drifting apart, his sense of identity unraveling, his safety net vanishing. And yet, rather than sink, he wrote. “I felt this deep void, he says. I started to look for comfort and distraction in other places and people, but I realized I was constantly running away from the truth, and straight into depression and toxic relationships. I had to let go of everything that was holding back my personal growth and find my light again. I wrote this while I was at my lowest, dreaming of the day I’d finally break free. It carried me forward.
While many know AMERY for the sleek pop anthems that even caught the ear of Sir Elton John, Electric Love marks a turn inward. It’s genre-bending, yes, but more importantly, it’s label-rejecting — in every sense. He invites us not just listen, but to feel. And as he embraces his queerness, autism and introversion without apology, AMERY proves that art is at its most powerful when it’s simply, unapologetically true.
AMERY is back, but more importantly, he’s finally home in himself.
-
We Speak Entertainment6 days agoThe Unconventional Path of a Musician Without Boundaries
-
We Speak Music3 days agoDead Tooth Drops New Single ‘You Never Do Shit’
-
We Speak Music6 days agoLimahl ‘A Horse With No Name’ – A dusty classic, reborn with synths and swagger
-
We Speak Sports6 days agoLA Rams Bolsters Defense With Bold Move to Draft Ole Miss Linebacker Chris “Pooh” Paul