Oh, to feel young again. As we navigate an endless rat race, the echoes of adolescence follow us into adulthood, lingering in unexpected moments. Sometimes, these memories comfort us; other times, they feel like ghosts, reminding us of what we’ve lost or left behind. Growing older is a paradox—marked by both progress and setbacks, joy and regret, optimism and doom. It’s a process we often misremember, shaped more by how we want to feel than by what truly was.

Vienna-based Sofie Royer traces her past, present, and future as a 'young-girl' in a modern world. She walks a fine line between optimism and doom with 12 dreamy, electro-pop-infused tracks on her third studio album, Young-Girl Forever. The album took shape for Sofie after she read the French anarchist text Preliminary Materials for a Theory of the Young-Girl. This book deconstructs the 'Young-Girl' as a cultural archetype, revealing how identity is commodified and shaped by consumer capitalism’s influence on modern subjectivity.

Sofie’s introspective lyrics suggest that the maturity, independence, and responsibility of growing up as a modern woman are rewarding but come at the cost of certain losses, like innocence and simplicity. Throughout life, we pursue interests and mediums that shape who we are. Sofie grew up playing the violin and eventually took up painting, modeling, and DJing—only to realize that society’s perception of her value is based on the output of things that bring her joy. The weight of societal expectations can both uplift and crush you. We all yearn to be loved for who we are, and in a song like Indoor Sport, she describes love as a game: by embodying the Young-Girl archetype, she becomes the prize, though the power remains with her suitor. On the title track, Young-Girl (Illusion), Sofie reminds herself it’s all an “illusion,” while in I Forget (I’m So Young), she celebrates the culture that shaped her.

The cover track by the Portuguese-Belgian pop star Lio, Sage Comme Une Image, really stuck out to me. Although it’s from 1982, the song fits perfectly into the world of Young-Girl Forever as it examines the tension between self-expression and the societal mold, underscoring how identity can become a performance shaped by external expectations.

A lot like the lyrics, themes of tradition and modernity are apparent in production. The juxtaposition of real instrumentation with synthesized and programmed sounds comes together harmoniously on the project, colliding the worlds of inspiration for Sofie. Her love for French Touch and Electroclash is embedded into the DNA of the music, bringing a sense of nostalgia to contemporary songs like Babydoll and Indoor Sport. The production and vocals take turns at the forefront of each song and give space for both to shine in their own shimmery way. This is the kind of pop music I love. Ethereal vocals from Sofie ooze nostalgia and wistfulness as they float over each song with subtle changes of emotion. These are supported by a backbone of pulsating bass lines, driving guitars, and airy synth leads throughout the production. This is not a pop album that relies on four-on-the-floor drums to keep you dancing. Instead, it crafts an atmosphere with its layered instrumentation and subtle rhythms, providing a perfect backdrop for late nights and neon-lit streets this winter.

Young-Girl Forever poses the perfect follow-up to 2022’s Harlequin. Sofie’s vision is clear in the evolution of her artistry, and she shows no signs of slowing down. From the songwriting to the production to the visuals, she’s developing her style and getting better at telling her story. And it’s honestly refreshing to hear pop music that’s not talking about what color underwear someone’s wearing.