From heartbreak, to crushing isolation, to wistful conversations, Bossard takes us on a journey that is worthy of a proper ‘sit down and take it all in’ style listen.

Californian-born and adopted South Londoner Bekah Bossard (she/they) has a lot of feelings. And their debut EP ‘Alone With My Thoughts’ sees them bare every single one for us. From heartbreak, to crushing isolation, to wistful conversations, Bossard takes us on a journey that is worthy of a proper ‘sit down and take it all in’ style listen.

The five-song EP is hugely listenable, with catchy moments such as on the boppy ‘What You Wanted’. This track touches on their experiences of coming out as queer, particularly the rejection they felt. Their rallying chorus of “I can’t be what you wanted I’m afraid” strikes a chord while feeling oddly empowering to queer listeners like myself. There are nods of Ethel Cain’s ‘American Teenager’ to be found here, and I think it’s one of Bossard’s strongest.

‘Alone With My Own Thoughts’ also strays into the deeply moving. The Phoebe-Bridgers-dusted track ‘Venus’ is a touching ode to their mother, who suffers with multiple sclerosis. They detail conversations they wish they could have with her:

“Venus I wish you could tell me,

The stories they share of bottles of wine and life in the ‘80s”

This is also one of Bossard’s strongest on the album, really showing off their unique voice and cutting lyrical style. It’s no surprise that ‘Venus’ has racked up nearly 60,000 streams on Spotify alone.

Elsewhere on Bossard’s debut, there is a lot to like. ‘The One’ delivers a slow yet jazzy heartbreak anthem, and ‘Four Walls’ gives us an upbeat change of pace that still stays true to the EP’s lyrical and musical themes. And the folksy ‘Stranger to Myself’ stands out with its haunting and almost cinematic melody.

‘Alone With My Own Thoughts’ also shares a lot with its fellow contemporary singer-songwriters. I caught grungier hints of Blondshell throughout, as well as the chipper sounds of Beabadoobee. But Bekah still carves out a unique space and sound with this EP. With their debut, they have made themselves an indie darling to watch, and I anticipate that this project will make way for even bigger and better things.