Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist, Carina Allen aka rlyblonde, first came to my attention earlier this year with her debut single Fantasy. I was so taken aback by its appeal, I reached out to Allen to chat about her debut and burgeoning new career.
Since then and following on from the success of her subsequent breakthrough EP Fantasy, Allen has just released an exciting new anthemic alt-rock banger called Your Angel. The track explores a side of Allen which helps us to understand some of the rage simmering beneath her cool ‘Brooklyn Barbie’ pop punk exterior.
“Creating music, for me, was always something fueled partially by anger; an anger at my life not being what I wanted, of being jealous of people around me, of feeling trapped or stuck,” says Allen. “So this song really sums up all of those angry, rebellious, teen feelings, while also tapping into something a bit darker— what it really feels like to have a trauma response to someone or something, and what to do with those complicated feelings.”
Interestingly, Your Angel somehow reminds me of a time when the likes of Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne ruled the charts with their angsty pop rock. That said, Allen has written a pretty good I-don’t-care-I’m-over-you type of song. She’s both dismissive and angry which gives lyrics like “But I won’t be your angel/ Guess I’ll see you in hell” the bittersweet kiss-off the song deserves. Moreover, the short but electrifying guitar solo at the end acts like a funeral pyre of a relationship all but dead.
Months ago, I said to a fellow colleague that I thought Allen, in her late 20s, was an artist fully formed and ready to make the most of every single opportunity. I still stand by those comments. And it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that I keep pushing the virtues of female alt rockers like Carina Allen. There really is a lot to like about her, especially her vocals and those gritty (and often distorted) guitars that are full of attitude.
Rearview Mirror 
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There’s definitely something about the in-your-face lyrics and guitar-driven music by rlyblonde – interesting and not exactly easy-to-remember artist name! In addition to “Your Angel”, I also sampled the tracks from her June 2023 EP “Fantasy”. I like what she’s doing!