CXLOE has shared a trio of live tracks for the latest instalment of Rolling Stone’s ‘In My Room’, a series in which artists perform from home following a year which has seen live shows become a rarity.
To say the last year has been a big one for Sydney’s CXLOE is a pretty huge understatement. Having made her debut just a few years ago, it was October of last year that a string of well-received singles gave way to her debut EP, Heavy, Pt. 1. Not content to let COVID-related matters sour a winning streak, it didn’t take long for the dark pop queen to dive right back into things, unveiling even more stunning tracks as the time goes on.
Now, with recent single “Close” arriving earlier this month, CXLOE has blessed us with an intimate ‘In My Room’ performance, stripping back a number of tracks for one of the most powerful sets you’ll hear this year.
Kicking things off with “Soft Rock”, CXLOE dives deep into a track that – despite being written two years ago – goes far beyond that, summoning up feelings that many of us can undoubtedly relate with.
“The song talks about my first heartbreak, where I desperately want to do something rebellious to ease the pain but I’m really just pathetically heartbroken and all I can bring myself to do is cry,” CXLOE explained upon the track’s release.
“It recounts my attempt at working through a breakup; putting on *soft* rock music, dying my hair, piercing my nose and every other cliche. It’s a facade and front I put on to convince myself I’m strong and totally over being heartbroken. It’s that one break up you have in your life where you’re actually not sure you will survive or ever get over the pain you’re feeling at that moment. Kind of like being left out of someone’s top friend list on myspace…but worse.”
Heading into “Cry & Drive” next (a sentimental song written in the wake of her grandmother’s passing), CXLOE wraps things up with a stunning performance of “Zombie”, a track originally recorded by The Cranberries back in 1994, and previously offered up for last year’s Like a Version performance.
“I’ve just always loved it, all throughout my music career,” CXLOE told triple j last year. “I love the darkness of it and it’s so catchy. I’d always thought I’d love to play it one day.”
Check out CXLOE’s performance in the player above, or by heading over to Rolling Stone Australia’s Instagram page. In the meantime, her latest single, “Close”, was released earlier this month.
