Jo MacKenzie may only be 17-years old, but her music is full of a seeming lifetime of knowledge, self awareness and maturity.
And today, MacKenzie furthered her collection and further honed in on her signature sound with the release of her sophomore EP, Let Me Give You What I Wish I Had.
Opening on the dance-pop anthem “Fuck the Feeling!” the EP starts off full of energy and ready to call out all of the worst parts of growing up- including self hatred, eating disorders, and battling a constant struggle to feel as though you fit in.
Inspired by the singer’s own battle with self love, “Fuck the Feeling!” is an ode to being able to tell off your inner demons and move towards a place of acceptance.
“I wish there were more songs talking about how messed up this idea is and how difficult eating disorders are to conquer/live with. I wish there was a song like this when I was younger,” the singer shared. I hope this song brings hope to some of you. I hope you can say “f you!” to that awful inner voice of shame and learn to accept where you are at the moment.”
The next track “Want You Want Me,” then takes listeners on a light hearted journey through navigating young, unspoken love.
In a classic case of being too shy to say anything about your feelings and hoping the person on the receiving end feels the same way, this song is a playful look at hoping a romance comes to fruition, a theme that continues throughout the EP.
But as a moment of calm and elated feelings amidst a sea of uncertainty, this track is then transitioned into the angst filled and self exploring “Lost Myself.”
Once more tackling the idea of self image and hatred, “Lost Myself” is an alternative pop song that calls out the beauty industry and social media as entities that constantly attribute to users body image issues.
Pointing out her never ending self critique and fear of the mirror and images of herself, MacKenzie points out that the world has normalized hating yourself and your body instead of celebrating all that our bodies do for us.
Ending the track on the line “if I’m different they’ll look at me like I’m crazy, but I’m not crazy! I’m just happy! and I’m doing fine with myself,” MacKenzie exudes wisdom beyond her years as she reminds listeners that it’s okay to embrace and love yourself- despite what the media and beauty standards tell you.
The EPs last two tracks “Pink Hair” and the previously released “’96 Dicaprio” then help pick the mood back up by telling the story of an imaginary love and once more hoping it turns from a fantasy to a reality.
Starting with the catchy “Pink Hair,” MacKenzie daydreams about someone she’s seen with pink hair and relays the process of obsessing over them, their potential girlfriend, and what that could mean for their future together.
Pondering their potential connection as she evaluates any social media and real life connections, the singer explains her path to winning her pink haired love over- by handing over a handwritten heart filled note that will lead to their destiny… hopefully.
MacKenzie then continues on this idyllic fantasy with “’96 DiCaprio” as she wonders what it would be like if her and her crush took their relationship to the next level.
Overall, Let Me Give You What I Wish I Had is a pop EP full of self awareness, empowerment and anecdotes of young love that will have listeners of all ages saying “I’ve been there.”
It’s relatable, easy to groove to, and has confirmed to us that Jo MacKenzie is a songwriting force to be reckoned with.
You can connect with MacKenzie now, via the social media links below, and be sure to stream Let Me Give You What I Wish I Had, out now.
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