LOS ANGELES, CA- I have to admit, there’s something about Leyla Ebrahimi’s new single, “star,” that I really dig. Maybe it’s the gritty guitars, the way the drums kick in, or just the overall alt/indie rock feel of the song. Whatever it is, it caught my attention pretty quickly. But after spending some time listening and paying closer attention to the lyrics, I started getting a kick out of what Ebrahimi was actually singing about.
She wants to be a star. And not just any star. She wants to be the kind of star you can’t escape.
Released October 16 through Deerfield Records/Interscope Records, “star” follows Ebrahimi’s debut EP, Planet You Forgot Me, and finds the New York City-based singer-songwriter working with producers Alexander 23 and Shane Pielocik. It’s a guitar-driven track with a little grit, some attitude, and plenty of energy. And while there’s a relationship at the center of it, I found myself more interested in the way Ebrahimi brings her ambitions into the conversation.
The song starts with her sitting in the dark, rereading text messages and wondering why being in love has to be so complicated. But then she brings up something that makes the song a little more interesting. The person she’s singing to is trying to figure out their life, while she’s trying to become a star. I thought that was a pretty interesting distinction.
On one hand, she’s dealing with the usual uncertainties of a relationship. On the other, she’s got some pretty big plans for herself. And somewhere in the middle of all that, she wants to know whether this person actually believes she can accomplish what she’s setting out to do.
I imagine that’s a question a lot of aspiring musicians have asked themselves, even if they don’t necessarily say it out loud. It’s one thing to believe in your own talent. It’s another thing entirely to wonder whether the people closest to you see the same potential.
But here’s where the song really amused me.
Toward the end, Ebrahimi starts imagining what life might look like if she actually makes it. She’s on television. She’s on billboards. She’s on giant screens. She’s in the cities, the suburbs, and even out in the countryside. Basically, wherever this person goes, there’s going to be some reminder of her.
I couldn’t help but laugh a little at the thought of it.
There’s something wonderfully over-the-top about wanting to become so famous that someone who might have doubted you can’t even drive down the street without seeing your face. Whether Ebrahimi intended it to be funny or not, I found that whole idea pretty entertaining. It’s a little petty, maybe a little spiteful, but also kind of relatable.
What I particularly like about “star” is that it doesn’t sound like some carefully packaged pop song about chasing your dreams. There’s a roughness to its alt/indie rock approach that gives the whole thing some personality. The guitars have some bite, the drums bring plenty of energy.
I also like how the arrangement builds. It doesn’t come out swinging at full force right away. There are quieter moments that give the song room to breathe before everything gets louder and more aggressive. By the time she starts imagining herself plastered across billboards and television screens, the music feels like it’s having just as much fun with the idea as she is.
And that’s probably what I enjoy most about it. The song has some serious emotions behind it, but it doesn’t have to be treated like a deeply complicated psychological study to appreciate what she’s doing…. Sometimes it’s just fun to hear someone dream big, get a little carried away, and turn those feelings into a really good rock song.
And then there’s the way the song ends.
After spending all that time imagining herself as this unavoidable celebrity, Ebrahimi goes right back to asking whether the person she’s singing to thinks she’s a star.
Here she is, imagining herself on billboards across the country, and she’s still looking for a little reassurance from one person. I suppose that’s part of what makes the song work. You can dream about millions of people knowing your name, but sometimes it’s the opinion of one person that matters most.
What’s also interesting is that Ebrahimi isn’t exactly starting from scratch. Her debut EP, Planet You Forgot Me, has already generated some impressive streaming numbers, with two tracks surpassing one million plays on Spotify, according to her label. She’s also been building her live reputation through appearances with artists like Del Water Gap, Wet Leg, and Holly Humberstone.
Blurred Culture previously covered Ebrahimi when she opened for Holly Humberstone at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. That performance offered an early look at an artist whose music moves comfortably between quieter moments and more guitar-driven rock, something that comes through again on “star.”
So, who knows? Maybe one day Ebrahimi really will be staring down at us from billboards across the country.
For now, though, I’m enjoying the music she’s making on the way there. “star” is a fun, energetic alt/indie rock track with enough grit to keep me interested and a lyrical premise that makes me smile.
And as for whether I think she’s a star?
Well, I certainly think she’s got something going for her.
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