Cosial pulls from the growing pains of adolescence on "In View"

Taking inspiration from the likes of Snail Mail, Lucy Dacus, and Mitski, Cosial charts the struggles of growing up in a small town and fighting to make yourself heard. Having spent the best part of her teen years quietly transforming inner monologues into indie-pop choruses, she's developed a songwriting style which blends astute observation with a sprinkling of wit, all recorded without fanfare from the depths of a Hartlepool garage.

Her 2023 debut EP Sports teemed with the ruthless markers of adolescent life; from the acute jealousy of watching popular friends bask in attention, to superimposing a fake smile onto your face so your crush doesn't see you cry. Choosing a playing field as the EP's backdrop wasn't a nod to victories or trophies, but to that feeling of always being picked last for the team. It was a record about being overlooked, and veering between feeling like a "psychopath" or "bridesmaid number two".

Sports also pushed back against the teenage pressure to conform, reaching the healthy conclusion that "sometimes there's power in not being chosen at all." Latest single "In View" picks up this baton and runs with it; Cosial breaking away from the faceless crowd to forge her own path.

“'In View' is a slight step away from the whole seventeen year old angst vibe,” she explains. “I think my songs are just a documentation of me growing up, so it makes sense that stuff changes with me.”

An accompanying music video finds her roaming the countryside, eyes fixed on the camera with a steady gaze as she unspools her thoughts. This time her lyrics feel like they're addressed to a real person rather than a journal, and under the soft summer sunlight, there's a sense of optimism and curiosity driving the track. "I want to crawl into your head, get under the surface", she begins, ready to finally shake off her own baggage for someone else's.

The song might signal a maturing in outlook and carry a fuller band behind it, but Cosial hasn't left behind the self-awareness and capacity for overthinking that made her EP such a great listen. Inhaling a t-shirt that smells of her crush, she still manages to keep her cards close to her chest. "If you want to come over, I wouldn't object" she shrugs, hiding the intensity of her feelings beneath a layer of understatement. After all, growing pains are for life.