girli Battles the Creeping Feeling of "Imposter Syndrome" in Thunderous New Single


Photo: Monika Wilczynska

Indie alt-pop star in the making girli, née Amelia Toomey, continues to push the boundaries between explorative pop and deep-cutting electronica in her latest single, "Imposter Syndrome." The track is a hard-hitting and fun banger that explores mental health and the fear of underachieving and taking the wrong path.

"Imposter Syndrome" opens with wind chimes trickling spa-like sound rings. The raw single then transitions into punchy instrumentation and brutally honest lyrics, with girli singing, "I wanna cut my hair and leave the city life / Cause I've become a girl, who I don't recognize / On the guest list, or you're worthless," while a persistently thrumming drum track beats in the background. She continues to stew in self-doubt as the paranoia that accompanies imposter syndrome creeps into her mind. Once listeners reach the chorus, we hear the singer needlessly over-examine whether she's an "imposter" or a "poser," an all-too familiar cyclical thought process.

"I was overthinking everything, feeling like a fake, scared that I was an underachiever and that everybody knew it and was laughed behind my back about it," shares girli. "I kind of go through life feeling like everybody else has a guidebook, and I'm just making it up as I go and getting it wrong. This song is about wanting to run away because of that feeling and being so unsure of yourself it scares you."

"Imposter Syndrome" appears in the queer artist's upcoming EP why am i like this?? and she's also touring the US for the first time in March with 3 headline shows, SXSW, and five alt-J support date. The forthcoming EP is set to explore girli's inner world and her ever-curious nature.


Tour Dates:

March 9th: Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right
March 11th: Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
March 14th: Los Angeles, CA - Echo
March 15-17: Austin, TX - SXSW
March 20th: Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern (supporting alt-J)
March 21st: Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern (supporting alt-J)
March 22nd: Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern (supporting alt-J)
March 23rd: Oakland, CA - Fox Theatre (supporting alt-J)
March 24th: Oakland, CA - Fox Theatre (supporting alt-J)

Related Articles

Tiffany Stringer Turns Heartbreak Into a Breakout Hit in Major Label Debut "Bullet"

Tiffany Stringer Turns Heartbreak Into a Breakout Hit in Major Label Debut "Bullet"

February 13, 2026 “‘Bullet’ is the pop country SMASH I wrote after finding out my cheating ex got married.”
Author: Alessandra Rincon
pop
EMELINE Confronts Her Past in Dark-Pop Single, “Dance With My Demons”

EMELINE Confronts Her Past in Dark-Pop Single, “Dance With My Demons”

February 13, 2026 EMELINE isn’t just acknowledging her demons, she’s inviting them to the dance floor.
Author: Hillary Safadi
pop
panicbaby is Making Weird Girl Internet Music and her Debut EP “f u jonathan” is Living Proof [Q+A]

panicbaby is Making Weird Girl Internet Music and her Debut EP “f u jonathan” is Living Proof [Q+A]

February 12, 2026 There is a chance you’ve seen Tumblr style video montages of coquette aesthetic, girly pink movie scenes and angelical clips circulating on TikTok– the song tying them together is non other than “Claw Marks”, the viral debut single from Berlin-based, soft pop artist panicbaby.
Author: Daniela Waizel Rule
pop
q+a