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Photos:  Lennon Gregory

The mystique of coming-of-age is difficult to verbalize. Though an essential element to humanity, as a young person, we often find ourselves trapped in a seemingly endless whirlpool of juxtaposing emotions. Science has proven that our species is quick to forget these snippets of youthful, introspective musings which help shape our being, so I suppose it is no wonder that we idolize those who seem to seamlessly capture these memoirs.  

Whether it be the works of authors, such as J.D. Salinger or Sylvia Plath, who fused their adolescent experiences with the narrative of infamous fictional characters, or photographer  Annie Leibovitz, who captured a moment of young, tender love between John Lennon and Yoko Ono in her famed 1980 Rolling Stone  magazine cover, we look up to these creatives to share the essence of the experiences closest to our hearts. Memorializing these precious moments is the aim of the budding artist Carol Ades, as she releases her debut single "I Can't Wait to Be British."  

A nice place to start could be her name, Carol Ades. Some might know her as Caroline Pennell, a prolific songwriter known widely in the songwriter and producer community, who has penned songs such as "Past Life" for artists Trevor Daniels and Selena Gomez, but her friends call her Carol. An admittedly "grandma-ish" name the she thinks befits her, as she feels that she is a "60-year-old in a 25-year-old's body."    

Ades is her middle name and reminds her of her childhood. She decided it was unnecessary to create a stage name, as the music she writes feels so personal. She describes Carol Ades as the wiser, more mature voice in the back of her head who helps her solve problems by verbally processing the aforementioned whirlpool of juxtaposing emotions.    

Hence her debut single, "I Can't Wait to Be British," is a fitting first release for a project pinned on the values of expressing raw, unfiltered emotions. In her own words, “It ['I Can't Wait to Be British'] is a little piece of my brain at its craziest. It was moving a million miles an hour the day we wrote it and I really wanted to have a song that spoke back to me all the ridiculous things I would say to myself. I ultimately landed on a chorus that reminded me to stop trying to escape myself.”

In short, "I Can't Wait to Be British" encapsulates a moment of realization, when one comes to the conclusion that escapism from self is an endless and often tormenting cycle. Lines such as "Told myself I'd get tattoos, but only when I have a flatter stomach" and "Nothing like invisible and made-up rules we learn to follow," express a heart wrenching message internalized by the masses, that "we're only worthy if..."

Presenting a cutting, yet kind message to self in the hook, "Dumb girl, don't you know what you're saying / Don't talk so that I can explain to you... / Sad girl, don't you know you know you're not happy / Break down baby that's just a part of you / You're so smart, but you're so crazy looking for the answers saying 'I Can't Wait To be British." Using the the title phrase "I Can't Wait to Be British," she epitomizes the myriad of universal "what ifs," a testament to her masterful pen and ability to memorialize those sacred feelings we yearn to never forget.

Listen to "I Can't Wait to Be British" below: