Based in Santa Monica, DEVMO released her highly anticipated EP, Tears, a few days ago. Laced with dark themes, Tears avoids gloominess by means of hopeful, contagious rhymes – imagine Iggy Azalea intersecting with Billie Eilish,
Tears probes the mirage of social media and its undesirable consequences, showing how curated, favorable images imply people’s lives are happy-ever-after, without problems or worry. DEVMO underlines the value of exposing yourself, displaying your vulnerability, as that’s where inspiration and growth occur.
Dipped in various shades of visceral, solemn pop flavors, stylistically, Tears continues DEVMO’s penchant for delivering totally unique sounds on each of her projects.
DEVMO explains, “I feel as if my music changes so much every time I release a new project. So much so, that they cannot be compared. My first album was very low-key hip hop, my second EP was very pop, the third project was grundier and harder and explicit. This EP has serious sad elements, but you can nod your head to all of them.”
Last year, DEVMO unleashed her song “Too Many Shoes,” which was composed for DSW’s TikTok campaign. Saying the song went viral is an understatement. It collected more than 4 billion views, hooking even Jennifer Lopez who used it in a video marketing her line of shoes.
DEVMO followed with “Are You Ready,” featured on Love Island US, while “Blow Up” appeared on Snapchat’s Move it! with dance influencer Dytto.
Encompassing five-tracks, Tears begins with “Detached,” blending classical accents with alt-pop savors topping a hip-hop-lite rhythm. Low-slung and shimmering with stripped-down energy, DEVMO’s delicious flow infuses the lyrics with the surreal emotional turmoil associated with love.
“I’m detached, / Ain’t no going back / I can flip it off like a light switch.”
Highlights include “Getting in the Way,” rolling on a measured, slow, low, and banging rhythm topped by DEVMO’s dazzling flow. A thumping kick-drum juxtaposes trembling, luminous synths, giving the tune a tasty undulating motion. “
“Hatin’” rides a cool trap pulse capped by soft piano notes, filling the melody with dark suffusions. Spitting rhymes delivered on hushed coloration demonstrate DEVMO’s superb vocal flow. The lyrics expose the pain caused by the words of haters, i.e., those who diss artists and others for unexplainable reasons.
The last track, “Scared to Die,” is vaguely reminiscent of Post Malone, featuring emerging washes of sound, drifting, and wafting, followed by the entry of the throbbing kick-drum, while DEVMO’s silky flow tiptoes on the line between rapping and melodic singing.
DEVMO has it going on! Her gift for insightful lyrics, along with her exquisite flow, set her apart from other female rappers.
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