The Girl I Hate

An artist who adores dissecting and revamping genres, Stella Angelika has chiselled her own niche of melodic versatility within the R&B and soul spheres and her debut EP That Girl I Hate is the bewitching result of this musical experimentation.

Modern-day society is rife with self-doubt and self-hatred. Stella Angelika dedicates her EP to exploring these ugly sentiments in a heart-wrenchingly raw way, showcasing her poignant lyricism at its absolute finest. Not only does Angelika explore the turmoil of overcoming these emotions, but she focuses on the reliance we have on other humans to do so - and the burdensome nature of this dependence. That Girl I Hate serves as a perfect epithet for the poignancy of Angelika’s EP, preparing the listener for the profound emotional veracity and strife that will engulf their every iota for the next 15 minutes. 

This EP seamlessly blends into Angelika’s complete discography, with each song having its own distinct sound and style. She immerses the listener immediately in the EP’s profound message in the stellar – and surprisingly upbeat - opening track of the work: Loving That Girl I Hate. She then draws upon the lo-fi nature of 90s R&B in second track Maybe, but it's Angelika’s soul-drenched vocals that get their deserved time in the spotlight here. Whilst masterpieces in their own right, the final two tracks of the EP are almost difficult to listen to. Angelika uses her lyrical mastery to explore the darker side of the human psyche, honestly and brutally exploring the mental turmoil of self-hatred in such a visceral manner that these songs almost can’t help but elicit a physical reaction. 

An artist that is unlike any other, Stella Angelika’s caramel-smooth vocals and stirring lyrics make her a stand-out in the sphere of UK R&B and neo-soul. An artist with an undoubtedly bright future, Angelika is certain to continue evading expectations and forging universally relatable tracks for years to come.