Norwegian alt-pop singer Marie Ulven Ringheim’s Girl in Red has finally resurfaced after almost four years with her new album, I’m Doing It Again, Baby! Fans were ecstatic and Girl in Red once again became a top trending artist.
Girl in Red came back kicking, featuring collaborations with artists such as Sabrina Carpenter and creating official visuals as well as music videos on her once dormant YouTube account. The videos raked in millions of views and served to promote Girl in Red’s music even further.
Girl in Red has long been an identifiable part of the LGBTQ+ community as Ringheim is a lesbian herself and often expresses similar things in her music. She also sports a mainly LGBTQ+ fanbase and combines both the community and her personal experiences into her music, often singing to a female lover instead of a male.
Her past music has been melancholic with groovy synth beats and catchy lyrics. The new album, I’m Doing It Again, Baby, has a diverse range of songs and sounds but is overall more upbeat than older albums.
The first song of the album “I’m Back” is Ringheim’s first step back into the music industry and it explains her absence. Her lyrics speak of her “taking a break to get help” and her past insecurities while navigating the world. Ringheim claims she is “back and better than ever” and she’s beginning to find her way around once more.
The title track “DOING IT AGAIN BABY‘‘ is a quick turnaround from the first song of the album. The song has electric guitar riffs and rocking lyrics. It’s an exciting song that’s great to jam out to. “Too Much” and “Phantom Pain” both contain traces of the old Girl in Red style with synth beats underlying relatable lyrics that are easy to sing along with. The ending of “Phantom Pain” is unexpected and full of energy that is cut off abruptly.
The following song “You Need Me Now?” featuring Sabrina Carpenter is reminiscent of an alternative girls’ rock band with a strong drum beat and both bass and electric guitar. Halfway through the song Ringheim interrupts to say it would be cool if “we could get Sabrina on this.” Carpenter then joins in, adding a distinctive pop aspect to the song and an intriguing blend.
The last song “5 Stars” is a fast pop song. The song is short but impactful and offers a refreshing end to the album. I’m extremely happy and also impressed with this new album. Whether I feel gray on a long car ride in the rain or energetic on a sunny summer day I have a Girl in Red song for every occasion.