Puellae - PSV
By Christianah Jesudass-Roberts @mstiaroberts
Scroll down to listen to ‘PSV’
At 7:30am on a dawning Thursday morning, I reached for my phone to draw for whatever grabbed me on Spotify to accompany me on an hour and a half drive across London during rush hour before all the excitement of work. As I started scrolling for a playlist that took my fancy, I was reminded of an artist that I was sent earlier this month as they had just released their EP, so as my Addi-Lee set off, I thought, what better time than now to really put my virtual pen to paper and discuss this project.
The project of my affection in this moment is PSV by singer-songstress Puellae. Even calling her a singer-songstress feels a bit basic for me after experiencing the complexity and layered nature of her EP. This EP is soothing and realistically, youthfully romantic but fresh and futuristic all at the same time. As I became more familiar with the project, a brightness was born. The familiarity allows listeners to get to know her better, and you get to really understand the layers of her sound. What strikes me in my exploration of her EP is the way I became so familiar with the individual tracks, comforting & quirky- like the cool creative kid who shows you new things. In the orange warmth of the day, this EP takes the listener into a place of serenity, Puellae’s sound is ever-evolving and feels like it takes you on a journey out of this world, whilst the humour in her lyricism is grounding while remaining enlightening and refreshing.
This six-track EP has so many layers that can only really be unburdened through repeated listening. The experience of uncovering her musical secrets is an enjoyable one, getting sweeter each time if the listener really takes time to indulge. One thing that is undeniably apparent is the existence of those Puellae takes inspiration from within her music. For me, I feel like she inhabits the energy of Greentea Peng, DDB Oshun, and Dido to name a few. She has a wispy, yet strong sound, delicate - with a bite. She exhibits the empowered romantic, not just in a typical sense, in a self-assured realistic sense, open to learning life and experimental, in sound, vibe and lyricism - I personally like to call this the ‘we move’ sound.
“Her lyrics showcase her unapologetic attitude to her self-expression, her acceptance of herself and her unique greatness.”
Puellae’s sound is futuristic. As much as it is delicate and sultry. It has an insanely psychedelic feel, whilst still remaining romantic and, of course, cheeky. She speaks on her experience in life and love, only to switch it up to showcase the most simplistic but honest representations of moods, even wooing us with a tune that seduces listeners in French. Her lyrics showcase her unapologetic attitude to her self-expression, her acceptance of herself, and her unique greatness, alongside expressing her desires, all without a flutter of an eyelid. If any project showcased an ideal of unapologetic energy perfectly combined with soft romance, this would be exactly that.
Due to all of this, I feel this EP is perfect to listen to at dawn or dusk. It has this duality meaning as much as it energises the listener, it is equally calming - whether this be her sultry sound, allowing us to decompress from the day, or her unapologetic confidence inspiring us to carry that energy into the oncoming day. This project is versatile in ways, but regardless is strong - it grabs you if you really take a moment with it. Perfect for those ‘me’ moments, those moments to pause and take in everything around you. PSV by Puellae is now available to stream on all major platforms.