A pop song that is catchy, emotional, and conveys an important message about self-worth? That can’t exist. But it does, in the form of singer-songwriter Rozzi’s song, “Uphill Battle.”
Rozzi isn’t necessarily a recognizable name – yet. When she was 19, Rozzi – then known as Rozzi Crane – was discovered by Adam Levine and toured with Maroon 5. But in 2016, she and Levine parted ways and she finally began releasing new music in early 2018, starting with this song. Her debut full-length album is set to be released soon.
“Uphill Battle” is a first-person narrative, the kind of intensely personal song that can at points be hard to listen to because of the honesty.
Rozzi doesn’t delay the personal details. The song begins with: “I cried on your shoulder right there in the kitchen / Our friends in the next room, so close they could listen / I don’t know why, I laugh when I cry.”
This song does a brilliant job of acknowledging her flaws, while not letting them hold her back. Rozzi said in an interview with Billboard that a lot of the songs she had been writing at the time she wrote this one – including Spotify smash “Never Over You” – had been focused on the other person’s flaws in her relationship. What they were doing wrong. “’Uphill Battle’ was maybe a moment for me to consider that I might have something to do with it,” Rozzi said.
She disguises a girl power song in the form of a love song – a trick that songwriters have been using for ages. Use a concept or sound people recognize and can get behind, and then pull out some more controversial lyrics while they’re already hooked. Marvin Gaye did it with his protest song “What’s Going On” and Rozzi does it with “Uphill Battle.”
There’s a misconception that pop music is all fluff, that there’s no true meaning behind it. “Uphill Battle” is undeniably a pop ballad – Rozzi’s phrasing and melodies scream pop music, with a hint of R&B flair. But Rozzi shows with this song that pop music can be about more than partying and having fun. Pop music can be autobiographical, emotional and raw.
She said in the interview with Billboard that this song is the best song to listen to as an introduction to her work. “I’m describing myself,” Rozzi said. “I’m painting a picture of who I am on my worst days.”
Listen to Rozzi’s “Uphill Battle” below.