Eaves Wilder’s debut album Little Miss Sunshine takes listeners on a dreamy journey of exploration into the London- based singer’s personal crises over her identity and place in the modern world. After taking a hiatus in 2023, unsure if music was the correct route for her and even briefly deciding to become a nun, the artist has returned to the music scene with a renewed sense of self, channelling her arduous journey of self- discovery into her latest album full of mesmerising indie-alt/rock.
Wilder’s soft and almost hypnotic vocals are on show throughout the ten-track compilation. Songs like ‘Hurricane Girl’, ‘Everybody Talks’, and ‘English Tea’ reiterate her anxiety about the ever-changing world around her and where she fits in it. This is especially the case in ‘Everybody Talks’, with the majority of lines being repeated as the singer spirals into anxieties about being liked by the public and the ability to trust her gut with so many conflicting voices around her. A desperation can be heard in her voice, as if she is begging to be shown the right decision. Yet, her sound never changes, only the instrumentals grow louder and louder, as the world moves on too fast for her to comprehend.
Little Miss Sunshine embodies the mental anguish of being a woman in the modern-day world. ‘Mountain Sized’ illustrates this perfectly as she lists off her aspirations, whilst struggling to maintain unrealistic expectations of her. Her voice in the chorus melts into a continuous hum, as she goes-round-and-round in circles trying to pin down exactly what it is that she wants. By comparing herself to a mountain, she is essentially an immovable object, stuck in one place, subject to what is around her; born to have everyone walk over her but still unable to react.
‘Great Plains’ also dives into another of Wilder’s dreams: to be a cowboy. It’s an impulsive thought however leaving everything behind to chase a wild dream is appealing to the singer. ‘Summer Rolls’ continues this theme as the singer ponders over lost time, anxious about the future, when all she wants is to roll around in a summer haze. Like her fantasy of becoming a nun, she admits it’s nice to think about being someone or something else, and that’s alright. It’s human nature to think about what might or could be; like she says in ‘Great Plains’: “No one blames the clouds for rain”.
A quiet rage winds itself between the tracks suggesting a failed relationship. ‘Just Say No!’ has a repetitive guitar line interwoven into the song as Wilder becomes increasingly angry at her partner, feeling like she has sacrificed a lot only to get a back-handed compliment about how she’s “such a good girl because you don’t say no”. In ‘Ropeburn’ she sings about feeling trapped her while ‘LA’ focuses on a partner who struggles with commitment, gradually building up Wilder’s frustration. All three have drowsy, wishful choruses, each one becoming more tired than the last, it seems that trying to maintain her love life has become exhausting for the singer.
‘Daisy Chain Reaction’ provides a turning point in the album: there needs to be a significant shift in the singer’s life if she wants to move forward. This song serves as a realisation that in order to live the life she wants, she needs to find her own way. It’s a painfully relatable track with a hint of optimism and hope. The melodic verses serve as a stark reminder that in order for a substantial change in your life, you have to be the catalyst.
Little Miss Sunshine is a journey of self-discovery, told through Wilder’s dreamscape where her fears, desires and gripes are all put under a spotlight. Her longing melodies and swirly choruses make this album addictive and go perfectly alongside explosive instrumentals which portray exactly what the singer can’t express. There is an irony in the album title as the subject matter of her songs are neither sunshine nor rainbows, but by the end of the album it is clear that Wilder has taken negative experiences and turned them into her own personal sunshine. Eaves Wilder is done hiding behind the clouds and is more than ready to break through.
