LOS ANGELES, CA- The best pop songs don’t just mirror our mess—they scream it back in surround sound, glittered in distortion and unflinching honesty. On “pretend to like me,” rising Canadian singer-songwriter renforshort doesn’t just dip into the well of youthful anxiety—she cannonballs in.
Following the success of her caffeinated single “on my way!”, renforshort kicks off 2025 with another tightly wound alt-pop missive that captures the chaos of trying to be liked, even when you’re not sure you like yourself. Released via Nettwerk Music Group, this new track is featured on her forthcoming EP “a girl’s experience”—due June 6—a body of work that she promises will the channel the restlessness, loneliness, and flashes of rebellion that defined her earlier projects.
“pretend to like me” opens with the hum of a steady baseline, and tempered vocals, but escalates into a fervent urgency with a musical drop as we reach the chorus. The production is crisp but raw, echoing the sonic ethos of acts like Olivia Rodrigo or early Halsey, but with renforshort’s signature vocal snarl giving it a jagged edge. Her voice careens between whispery confessions and full-throated pleas, riding a wave of alt-rock guitars and pop-punk percussion that swells into a chorus destined for festival shout-alongs. “So just pretend you like me, so I could have somebody” she wails, flipping vulnerability into defiance.
For longtime fans, this release is a continuation of the promise she displayed onstage at SXSW 2023—a performance I covered and called “a testament to her raw talent” and “captivating stage presence.” Back then, she proved she wasn’t just another Gen-Z voice floating in the algorithm. She was visceral, unapologetic, and wildly in control of the she conjured onstage. That same frenetic energy pulses through this new single like a live wire.
There’s a particular catharsis in hearing renforshort wield her insecurities like a weapon—turning imposter syndrome, unrequited longing, and performative friendships into something danceable, anthemic, and weirdly empowering. If “pretend to like me” is any indication, “a girl’s experience” is shaping up to be a defiant coming-of-age document, one that embraces the awkward, aching middle of growing up.
And make no mistake—renforshort isn’t asking for your approval. She’s daring you to look away. Follow Renforshort on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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