“(…) I’m a badass bitch, and I’ll make it occur it doesn’t matter what (…)” That’s the daring assertion driving Cute and Lethal, the debut EP by Amanda Barise following her standout run on Season 23 of American Idol. Simply weeks after putting within the Prime 14, the New York-based singer delivers three autobiographical tracks full of confidence, honesty, and reinvention.
Cute and Lethal, the title of the EP, isn’t random. It’s a label others have used to outline Amanda, however as a substitute of rejecting it, she’s embraced it, reworking it right into a daring expression of her energy and presence. The lead single is a direct response to previous doubts, inside insecurities, and the individuals who didn’t consider she may make it. With an alternate R&B and soul manufacturing co-signed by Grammy-winning engineer Max Faigen, the track delivers her message with laser precision: nothing’s going to cease her.
The second observe, 26, is the EP’s most introspective second, a reflective ballad that captures precisely the place Amanda is in life. The lyrics are easy but efficient, talking to the significance of staying current, letting go of the previous, and embracing the now.
The EP closes with “Lady Like Me,” a sensual and susceptible second the place Amanda sings to herself, acknowledging all the things she’s overcome to get right here. She calls it a “self-call to motion,” and it looks like simply that: a private reminder to maintain pushing, to consider in her energy. The association is smooth and intimate, permitting her voice to shine because it effortlessly strikes between softness and energy.
On Cute and Lethal, Amanda Barise proves not solely that she has technical expertise but in addition that she has a transparent sense of who she is and the place she’s going. Her sound, a mix of other R&B and up to date soul, marks a brand new section in her profession: freer, bolder, and extra private.
With simply three songs, Amanda confirms what many suspected after Idol: she doesn’t want permission to shine. She’s not ready for validation. She’s singing from a brand new place, the place being “cute” doesn’t weaken her energy, and being “lethal” doesn’t imply dropping emotional depth.
