Princess Nokia “i love you but this is goodbye” EP Review

i love you but this is goodbye

Princess Nokia

• Genre: Alternative
• Date: 14 Mar, 2023
• Content: explicit
• Region: NGA
• Track(s): 7
• ℗ 2023 Princess Nokia, Inc. under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment

Princess Nokia has just made available through Arista Records her brand-new EP, “I love you but this is goodbye.” The EP, which comes after the tracks “closure,” “complicated,” and “lo siento,” is a blend of pop-gloss and alt-electronica that combines her new sound with the breakbeats we heard on her 2018 debut Metallic Butterfly.

The EP is a catharsis that suggests a musical breakthrough for Princess Nokia as it deals with love, grief, heartbreak, and healing. Princess Nokia, a Puerto Rican-American MC, singer, songwriter, style icon, actress, and activist, continues to rise.

EP Cover Art

A bad b**** accidentally falls in love, gets engaged, and ties the knot, but when reality dawns on her, she gets overwhelmed with anxiety. To avoid attracting unnecessary attention, she does not take off immediately. Instead, she waits until the end of the ceremony when everyone must have left. While her newlywed hubby dozes off from exhaustion in their lodging, she takes her chance, books herself a ride, and sneaks into the night. At dawn, she steps out to the balcony of her hotel room in a different city, breathing the air of a free woman.

Tracks and Features

The EP begins with “closure,” which is ironic for its track position. However, it’s a different kind of closure being discussed on this track. Nokia’s tiny but piercing voice comes on as soon as the guitar strings pave the way, singing about an ex-lover that she still appears attached emotionally. But regardless of how she feels, she is fed up with getting constantly drained by her “dangerous” heartthrob, so she decides to let go of a love that took from her more than it gave. She also announces the reason for her writing this album: for her closure.

Sliding down to “complicated,” she sings about how her ex f****d up the beautiful thing they had, complicating everything with his BS. He would make promises he wouldn’t. The details in her lyrics show her hurt and a toxic relationship affected her adversely. She even admits to confiding in her friends upon experiencing her ex’s “demons.” She was putting up with a lot. The further you go into this album, the more intense things get.

Things get a little confusing on “the fool.” It’s not clear if this song is for another loving ex separate from the toxic one she has been singing about because it’ll be crazy to know what happens to you when you put your hand in the fire and still go ahead to do so regardless. It’s clear she’s referring to him as the fool here, but she still wishes to have him back. It’s funny in a way that is not funny, but the heart wants what it wants. It could also be a result of low self-esteem or childhood trauma. It’s sad she even keeps track of the ex’s new relationship enough to know that shit had hit the fan. It’s rare to find someone that’ll feel bad for their ex’s new relationship not working out. But hey, there’s Princess Nokia.

On “lo siento,” she apologizes for not being the type of girl her ex would have wanted. She recalls when he bailed on her after asking her out. The sudden switch in beat progression dilutes the sadness you started out feeling from the track’s first second but adds a certain beauty to it. She even busts into some rap for a hot second. Nokia knows her stuff for sure. She understands the rise and fall of the beat and delivers like a pro. When the EP arrives at its final track, “happy,” you’ll understand why the project had to start the way it did. After lamenting and venting in previous tracks, she turns up on the upbeat tune, singing with a unique sureness of self. She seems to have found happiness outside of a man, which is pretty lit. Her rap bars make another appearance on this one, and she does not forget that she is a goddess.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	TIME
1	closure	2:22
2	complicated	2:12
3	the fool	1:18
4	lo siento	3:12
5	angels & demons	2:37
6	thank you	3:00
7	happy	3:20

EP Theme

“i love you but this is goodbye,” centered around a breakup, travels the entire post-relationship journey while wearing its heart on its sleeve.

Production Credits

Producers on the new record include Al von Staats, Elijah Rawk, Joey Wunsch, Robin Hannibal, Tony Seltzer & Tweek Tune.

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