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- July 2, 2022
Sofía Valdés’ EP In Bloom Reflects Her Personal and Musical Growth
Panamanian singer-songwriter Sofía Valdés has released her EP In Bloom along with the music video for its title track, which was directed by Satchel Lee (who also directed the music videos for “I Hate the Beatles,” “Carbon Copy,” and “Parking Lots”). The five tracks on the EP reflect the many emotions that come with growing and learning that happens after the end of a long-term relationship. In Bloom is significant to Sofía because,
“For me “in bloom” in this context means standing your ground and not letting anyone take you away from that moment. I was finding myself while I was writing the songs. I was going through a roller coaster of emotions which in every phase of it I felt like I was changing which I needed in order to pass the page.”
The first track, “I Hate the Beatles,” is a soft acoustic track that focuses on the conflict of liking the Beatles with her exes. The lyrics in the first verse set up this conflict as she sings about how, “Now I hate “Eight Days a Week”/ Honestly, it makes me sick/ To think of you and her asleep/ My childhood song playing on repeat.” The pain of having something she loved be associated with such painful memories comes through in the lightness of her vocals, almost as if she is unable to talk about the pain.
Watch the music video for “I Hate the Beatles” below:
After “I Hate the Beatles” is the title track, “In Bloom,” which has a mix of Spanish and English lyrics, bringing a unique sound to the album. The meaning behind the song, according to Sofía, is that:
“The song “In Bloom” for me is a character that I made for myself. Someone I wanted to be like and look up to. This person that’s confident, firm, beautiful and proud. I feel like I need this character to move through pain and the hardships of losing someone.”
Watch the music video for “In Bloom” below:
“Carbon Copy” is the third track on the EP, and was the second single released in anticipation of In Bloom. The song is about an ex who found a new partner who seemed to essentially be a clone of Sofía, and the complicated feelings in terms of seemingly being replaced by her ex.
Watch the music video for “Carbon Copy” below:
“Parking Lots” is a fun alt-pop track about that moment when doubts creep into a relationship, especially if one partner doesn’t seem as interested as the other. This is encapsulated in the chorus as Sofía sings, “Gabby heard you had second thoughts/ Out here pulling petals, do you love me or not?” The visualizer shows Sofía hanging out with one of her friends in their car at night, singing along to the song.
Watch the visualizer for “Parking Lots” below:
“Swim” is the final track of In Bloom, and serves as a reflective ending to the EP. The song starts off with the piano and Sofía’s vocals, and is only joined in with a drum pad and harmonies during the chorus. The lyrics paint a picture of the regret Sofía feels as she experiences the pain that comes with the end of a relationship, “Now I’m deep diving into things that you said to me/ Still hoping for a sign that we’re meant to be/ Is this feeling gonna fade out eventually?/ I don’t know/ Comes in waves/ All these emotions, they won’t go away/ Part of me wishes you’d come back and say you made a mistake/Part of me wishes I never met you in the first place.”
In Bloom is an ode to the growth Sofía experienced between her debut album and the release of this EP. Her lilting voice combined with the mix of acoustic and pop tracks keeps the EP fresh no matter how many times it’s put on repeat.
Be sure to listen to “In Bloom” below:
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