Chesca (aka Chesca Musica) Releases New Single

New York-based singer/songwriter Chesca (aka Chesca Musica) strikes back at those who’ve wasted her time with the empowering single “Crocodile Tears”. Citing major influences from the likes of Amy Whinehouse, Selena, and Lady Gaga, Chesca certainly shows her appreciation for these acts especially on this track with its slick Joanne era Gaga synth sounds, and the cutting and poignant lyrics that made Whinehouse a household name.

Chesca has stated that she hopes that people will feel heard and validated when they hear the rawness and honesty of her music, and if I’m being honest sometimes that sentiment is so overstated it becomes hollow. Chesca is not hollow. The way she’s tackled themes like depression and loss has always been mature and impactful, but this walks a new and bold line between being both a breakup song, an empowerment song and a total fucking jam, without contradicting itself or even having to play the OutKast “Hey Ya” trick of “Happy sounds with dark lyrics.” Not only is this one of the most infectious songs I’ve listened to this year, it’s also just one of the most clever. The way she breaks up and repeats lyrics including the way she says “Crocodile” almost takes on this playful mocking sensibility to the person she’s verbally destroying. It’s a crowd-pleaser of a track with some standout moments especially from the production team who’ve crafted a truly sleek and bubbly sound, but something that definitely sounds best loud.

I can see plenty of people and especially women dancing to this with their headphones in, and it has this almost timeless quality to it. Bjork’s Vespertine for example is an album pretty akin to the work in this track. That album came out in 2001 but also sounds like it could have come out this year, and Chesca and her team have that same timeless quality. It’s not marred by the gimmicks of today like voice distortion or chord structure that feels rote. You could have told me this song came out in 2001, or last week and both of those assumptions are valid because the song is that good it feels like it existed forever. This is leading to the eventual release of her July album Feel the Breeze which seems to be a more empowering swing but not neglecting the hardships, especially given the last year we’ve all had. I really hope this is the year that Chesca gets even bigger because I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the attention. Her voice is rich and expressive and her performative spirit is so layered and dense, she could practically be an actor at this point. If there’s anything that might put some off, it could be those looking for a more sympathetic angle to both parties.

A “devil’s advocate” angle that sees both sides getting a certain level of nuance, but I think this path that’s been taken is more effective. This song honestly unearthed feelings I didn’t even know I still had coming out of a breakup well over a year ago, and I wish I had this song than to get through that time. Crocodile Tears is that powerful.

Photo Credit Marta Pru

Nicole Killian