Comparison is a drug, and an addictive one at that. It’s the kind of drug that anyone (especially artists) is susceptible to. They compare their work, their level of success, and their lives to others, who are likely comparing themselves to another person as well. We’ve seen the heartbreaking side of it with “Heather” by Conan Grey, the angst-ridden side with “jealousy, jealousy” and “obsessed” by Olivia Rodrigo, and now the ever-so familiar imposter syndrome side with “Corinne” by indie-pop artist ÊMIA, released earlier this month.
ÊMIA, also known as Anh Lee, is an introspective creative with an emphasis on DIY artistry. If she has a vision, it will get made, even if she has to do it herself. Her upcoming debut album, “Conversations We Were Supposed to Have,” is largely self-made, with Lee having recorded, written, and produced it all herself. ÊMIA’s songs have been featured on playlists such as “Fresh Finds” and “Sad Hour,” and she has collaborated with the likes of Brooke Alexx, Duumu, Katie MAC, and more. Not only that, but she also directs (sometimes with the help of Brittany Drays, her “other brain cell,” as she affectionately refers to her in an Instagram post) and edits most of her own music videos, including the one for “Corinne.”
In “Corinne,” ÊMIA longs to be like a girl named Corinne, or rather, to be her. On the outside, Corinne has the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect everything. She’s like the girl in a rom-com that everything works out for, while ÊMIA is just a background character. Except ÊMIA would much rather have this rom-com be more like “Freaky Friday” so she can trade lives with Corinne. She refers to Corinne as the “gold standard” while she is just “the experiment,” as she tries to make herself more like Corinne through the process of trial and error, something that comes so effortlessly for Corinne. ÊMIA only sees herself as “that kid from the cold Midwest / wasting $19 at a CVS” (which, let’s face it, is not that hard to do nowadays with the cost of everything).
ÊMIA also mentions several other girls throughout the song by name to show that it’s not so much about Corinne herself as it is about the defeating fight of not feeling like you are as good as everyone else. Besides a different appearance, the thing that ÊMIA yearns for the most is Corinne’s boyfriend. She wants to be “chosen by him” because she always feels like “the option everyone will skip.”
As melancholic as the song may seem, it’s also healing. Certain situations can feel so isolating, like no one else has experienced the same thing with the same feelings. In actuality, there are probably so many people going through the same thing at the exact moment you are. You may have your own Corinne, or you might be someone else’s Corinne. ÊMIA’s lyrics are all too familiar for many of us, but her beautiful voice and musical arrangements make up for the sting to our emotions.
The music video for “Corinne” takes place the day of Corinne’s birthday, with Corinne (played by Brittany Drays) getting ready for her rooftop party. Meanwhile, ÊMIA is also getting ready for the party, but as a member of the catering staff. ÊMIA watches as Corinne dances in a golden yellow dress with her perfect boyfriend, wishing that it was her. Towards the end of the video, we see the roles reversed as ÊMIA is the birthday girl and Corinne is one of the caterers. Despite this, she sees Corinne having so much fun with the other caterers, leaving her feeling like turning into Corinne wasn’t all she thought it’d be.
(Fun fact: The music video was filmed on ÊMIA’s 29th birthday.)
As of writing, ÊMIA doesn’t have a release date for “Conversations We Were Supposed to Have” yet but has revealed that “Corinne” is track 3 of 17 on the album. Tracks 1 and 2 were previously released singles, “Gut Feeling” and “The Plot.” In September, she played two shows on Johnny Stimson’s “Is Any of This Even Real? World Tour” (even more impressive, she was in the middle of a semester of law school).
To stay up-to-date with the release date for ÊMIA’s debut album and future performances, visit her website.
