Recommended Tracks: “It Happens Either Way,” “April May July,” “Gloria”
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When you go through changes in life, those changes can either make you or break you. Whether it is a move to a new city, the end of a friendship or relationship, the start of a new job or project—these all don’t happen lightly. So, when OSKA found herself going through change, she had a couple of options. The indie-pop singer and songwriter could have closed herself off from the world after moving from Vienna to the Austrian countryside, but she allowed the change of scenery to shift her perspective. She also could have wallowed in self-doubt of certain friends and partners, but was able to pour her reflections into new songs. In the end, OSKA chose not only to let these changes make her, but she also let them make up her sophomore album, Refined Believer.
There are times on Refined Believer when OSKA navigates the complexities of her life. On “The Final Straw,” for instance, OSKA tries to get over a breakup. Over the intimate guitar strumming, she considers, “I’ve never been so fragile / Thought you were a good guy / Now I know just what I should have said,” and concludes, “The moment’s gone / The final straw.” We can hear an endearing timidness on the track, but that all goes away on “With Love, Your Clementine.” Here, she gets caught up in her feelings but remembers that she can be strong. Speaking to the parts of herself that are aching and hurting, she sings, “And I just got this feeling everything is going wrong / Remember your voice saying just hold on / And I just got this feeling everything will disappear / Remember your voice saying have no fear.” This hope is found on the title track, where OSKA accepts that she will always be changing, always be growing. She shares, “It takes time / It’s gonna take all my life,” with that last line hypnotically repeating until the end of the track.
As she navigates life, OSKA finds that people come and go. It turns out that no matter what you do, no matter how much you want people to stay or leave, “It Happens Either Way.” On this track, OSKA softly reflects on the mysterious way of the world. Guided by a soft jazz accompaniment, she sings, “And we never see it coming / Change / Is taking its sweet time.” All the while, OSKA dances on that fine line between happy and sad, making this a song that can suit either mood. Meanwhile, on the piano-driven “Oh Marie,” she allows herself to be haunted by the memory of someone. OSKA’s vocals really shine on this track, as they come across as elegant yet determined against the piano. As much as she wants these memories to keep her company, she offers, “If you want, I’ll let you go,” knowing that she is better off that way. It would be nice if we could instantly get over people, but on “April May July,” OSKA reveals that it can take longer than expected. She spent the whole summer thinking about a couple of bitter relationships on this song, asking questions like, “Why does it feel like I owe everything to him?” and “Are we just the songs we sing?” Listeners can feel the drama and the tension not only through the lyrics but through the music that swells and recedes against them. Still, she keeps a hopeful spirit by stating, “Where we end, we begin.”
We are filled with more hope elsewhere on the album, in songs like “Forever Blue,” “Like a Song,” and “Gloria.” On these tracks, OSKA showcases ways that new life can be found in tired and trying times. She pulls from a memory that she shares with a childhood friend on “Forever Blue,” where they both went on a drive that left them feeling “brand new.” The warm strumming and OSKA’s whispered falsetto are goosebump-inducing, almost as if brought on by the chill of the wind on that drive. OSKA continues to acknowledge meaningful friendships on “Like a Song.” It has a coming-of-age feel with its lively strumming and comforting words, as if we all can “believe in something bigger than myself,” as mentioned in the song. It is so powerful to have people in your life that can support your ambitions and encourage you to chase your dreams, but it is also powerful to be able to block out those who are not on board. With “Gloria,” OSKA tells the story of a woman who is being judged and talked about in her town. Basically, “everybody’s on her case” as she tries to get her life together. Yet, she does what she needs to do and ends up “singing ‘Hallelujah’ like she’s never heard your name before,” rising above the haters.
When talking about Refined Believer, OSKA mentioned that this album came about at a time when she was starting to trust people again. This is not an easy process, but it also leads to the process of trusting herself and the possibilities of the future. She continued to explain, “I feel like I can believe in something bigger than myself again, which doesn’t have to be something religious. It just means that I’m finding the ability to hope again.” While the songs on Refined Believer tap into various moments and memories, they all address the importance of hope in one way or another. With this album, OSKA embraces the start of something new and the belief that the future will take her where she needs to go.
You can listen to Refined Believer here.
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