Thoughts on “I Feel So Free”
Let me preface this with saying I LOVE this song. Let me tell you why:
-The Production: a clear extension of COADF, evoking “Future Lovers” and therefore “I Feel Love.” It very much felt like how she began the COADF tour in terms of vibe. Additionally, the little watery synth sounds sprinkled in were reminiscent of the Ray of Light era. Super impressive that she was able to recreate the vibe of COADF with modern production so seamlessly.
-The Lyrics: lyrically, several eras were evoked at once. Obviously the “on the dance floor I feel so free” motif is her bread and butter, but the tethering of that sentiment to feelings of persecution (“there’s safety in numbers,” “it’s dangerous with just one person/that’s not a nice feeling”) make the song sound relevant for today while bringing back the themes of gay persecution that she has touched on throughout her career.
-The Rollout: playing the song on the Pride radio on iHeartRadio was a clear sign of appreciation for her fan base. Using Charli XCX’s creative team was also smart; this era already feels iconic and it’s barely started. Testing out a possible lead single with Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella brought a lot of attention while being fairly low stakes (if people hate the song, choose a different single!). Putting out IFSF as a teaser definitely created hype and showed that she is very confident in the album overall. I think the best is yet to come. :)