Alessia Cara is my top-favorite female artist. She is a 24-year-old Italian Canadian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Her songs and her personality are game-changers. She has flipped my life around for the better! Her music has become a way of healing for me, here’s why:
- “Trust My Lonely”
-
What other people failed to notice, is that they did a number on my health overall, just like Alessia says in her song. I realized that I have the ability to be better off on my own than to be surrounded by people who do more harm to me. I had to find my footing and elevate through separation from certain people. Needless to say, there was so much fake and dumb love around me. Moving forward, I’ll replay Alessia’s lyrics in my head, “Don’t you know that you’re no good for me, I gotta trust my lonely.” In the video, you can really see Alessia freely expressing herself with no one around her, it’s just her and the world itself. If you want to live a healthier life, find the right people, and even that may take a while. By the way, the visuals and colorful schemes of her songs are always A1.
- “Growing Pains”
-
Being grown sucks, when Alessia said, “Don’t know if I even care for grown, if it’s just alone” I felt that on every level because a lot of my friendships dealt with people just wanting to benefit from me rather than actually caring and getting to know me for who I am. Another thing from being grown is that I can’t hide from adulthood, “‘Cause growing pains are keeping me up at night,’” physically I become exhausted from adulting. More often than not, I wish I could run back to my youth, but realize I can’t. Responsibilities are also growing pains for me as they’ve stacked on me, unfortunately. Time flies too fast these days, it’s scary. I hate adulting to be honest, and although sometimes home didn’t seem like home, I was never fully ready to let go of my parents’ hands. When I’m at a place away from home, I still miss my original home. The one thing that I consider a strength from being grown, is my maturity. Since I was very young, people always said I didn’t or don’t act my age because I’m ‘too serious’ (whatever that means). Listen to Alessia’s songs, there’s truth in every word she writes!
- “I Choose”
-
Alessia says, “No one has much figured out, the house that you live in don’t make it a home but feeling lonely don’t mean you’re alone. I finally found where I feel I belong, and I know you’ll be there with wide open arms through the lows and the highs.” To me this song means building community and finding or choosing the right people who will be there and show up for you not only in the good times, but in the bad as well. Trust me when I say that someone can be in a crowd full of people, yet still feel alone. No one, and I mean no one, has it all together like she says.
- “Not Today”
-
The melody of this song is so unique, and I love it! It’s helped me realize that it’s okay if I’m not completely over things, situations, or people and that my thoughts won’t go away within the blink of an eye. Sometimes a specific song can spark a memory and then lead to a downwards spiral of emotions that makes it hard to even pull through the day. It’s okay to have those bad days where not everything goes as planned. Take a pause, accept the day, but still have hope somewhere in you. And remember, happiness looks different for everybody!
- “Here”
-
Alessia taught me that my anxieties do not define me. People tend to assume that I am uninterested or indifferent because of how I act, when in actuality it’s my anxiety taking over me. I’ve come to realize that no one has control over their anxiety, it’s a feeling that can only be managed. For someone like me who doesn’t know how to completely manage it, people question me and sometimes even perceive me as being ‘rude.’ My nervous system acts fast when in a fight-or-flight situation. Alessia’s story in this song is an experience I also went through. If you watch the video and listen to the lyrics carefully, you will understand exactly what I mean. I truly have no business going out, but my ‘friends’ don’t seem to understand that, and try to drag me into just about anything. More often than not the answer is no from me. I have no problem being on my own versus being in a crowd full of people who I know don’t give two sprinkles about my well-being. Alessia taught me how to embrace and respect myself in a college environment where many people glorify drugs, drinking, parties, risky behaviors and chances. I truly could never ever relate to these people and have stopped pretending like I did. If you’re a naturally anxious person, I hear you, see you, and accept you!
- “Scars To Your Beautiful”
-
I think that everyone has their insecurities, whether you’re a confident person or not. This song taught me that beauty comes in all looks, shapes, sizes, colors, etc. I definitely have my days where I struggle with self-love, but I remind myself that I am beautiful just the way I am through her song. The message that really spoke to me was when Alessia says, “And you don’t have to change a thing, THE WORLD could change its heart.” I think oftentimes we think we’re the problem or that something is wrong with us, when in actuality it’s worldly people or societal standards that are telling us who we should be other than ourselves. There will always be people out there who don’t like us for no reason, but that’s okay because it’s not our business to find out why. I personally could care less about fitting in, but what bothers me is that people have the audacity to judge others TOO MUCH and TOO OPENLY, which honestly needs to stop. One of the featured individuals from the testimony portion of the video helped me open my eyes when she said, “Hold on and just wait until you can get out of that bubble because the things that seem like weaknesses/weird things that make you strange…when you become an adult and get out into the world, you’re gonna find out that all those differences are like your greatest strengths.” Hearing that right there inspired me and brought a smile to my face because it is the most truthful lesson I’ve ever heard. If you’re struggling, I’m also here to tell you: Carry on beautiful, be you authentically and unapologetically! One more time, like Alessia says, “No better you than the you that you are.”
Alessia Cara really meant it when she said, “So to all the girls that’s hurting, let me be your mirror, help you see a little bit clearer, the light that shines within.” She saved me from remaining a broken person through her soul-touching music. If you don’t know her, you won’t regret checking her out, she has so many phenomenal covers and songs out there! Also look at how stylish she is, GO ALESSIA, you’re changing lives!!!