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- April 16, 2023
Genevieve Stokes is “Chasing Rabbits” In Her New EP
On the Chasing Rabbits EP, Genevieve Stokes explores a change in her connection to reality and the relationships in her life. Writing has often allowed her to escape her reality and open up a world of imagination and wonder. Stokes has been honest about the mental struggles she’s experienced, chasing the impossible in life like Alice chases rabbits to Wonderland. But by working on this tracklist, she was able to get back in touch with herself.
I was able to access parts of my creative mind that I had never experienced before…I was simultaneously struggling a lot mentally so it was this weird split thing where I felt life was beautiful but also really dark. It went back and forth.
– Genevieve Stokes
“Habits” consists of ups and downs, sliding to and from higher notes throughout the song. The musical composition and the waltz-type rhythm emphasize this sense of being stuck, even when she’s trying so hard to break away from these habits. Though she has never felt connection, effort or compatibility in this relationship, she cannot help but come back to it.
“You & Me” is much slower and heavier in terms of rhythm. At times, the song almost sounds like a spiritual chant. The refrain of the song goes, “But you love me,” in an almost droning and repetitive way. The reply never answers the singer’s questions, and she becomes dissatisfied at the empty shows of affection that have become standard in this half-hearted relationship.
“Can I” picks up the tempo as Stokes reflects on the memories of her recently ended relationship. There is something about the question, “Can I be the one who loves you tonight?” that is being repeated over and over. It isn’t exactly forceful but rather, the act of asking is intimate. Stokes considers herself imperfect, yet asks to love.
“Book of Memories” is stripped down with a simple piano accompaniment and subtle beat. The song speaks quite poetically about the memories we come to collect: growing up, being in love and spending time with someone. But to be a memory evokes past tense, implying that once the relationship becomes one, it is simultaneously over. With that truth being said, Stokes conveys a melancholy tune turned nostalgic.
The melody in “Mara” creates momentum that is sometimes dizzying. The singer-songwriter recreates this rollercoaster of emotions she experiences, up, down, round and round. Listeners get a very real feeling of the mental spiral she sometimes experienced. But as the chorus arrives so does Mara, and there is a sudden moment of peace and quiet. This figure grounds Stokes and makes the overwhelming feeling go away. Her identity is never specified, but it creates a point of relatability since there is always someone who keeps us sane.
Then Mara comes
Before I touch the sky
And pulls me down
Asking why
Then Mara comes
Before I touch the sky
And pulls me in
Pulls me in
– “Mara”
“17” closes the EP on an introspective note. Stokes fully tackles the concept of age, growing up and finding identity in this piece. She underlines that there’s much of life to live, and she reminds herself that there is more time to figure things out.
Genevieve Stokes is what many fans would call “underrated”. She recounts her experiences uniquely and fantastically, drawing from her reality to create a new world altogether. In addition to her music, her videos truly exude that dream-like quality, with scenes that appear to come straight out of a fairytale book. Stokes kicks off her tour this May, performing in cities like Portland, New York and San Francisco. Check out dates and give Chasing Rabbits a listen!
