Maisie Peters Casts a Chart-Topping Spell Over Us in 'The Good Witch'
British pop star Maisie Peters makes her mark with her highly anticipated new album, The Good Witch. Serving as an official follow-up to her acclaimed debut, You Signed Up For This, created during her 2022 tour, the 15-track LP is a time capsule for the young artist, enabling her to chronicle a period in which she was searching for a balance between career highs and personal lows. Where You Signed Up For This was an observational, coming-of-age record, The Good Witch sees Peters at her most introspective and self-reflective, drawing inspiration from the works of Joan Didion, J. M. Barrie, Greek mythology, and Western movies; the record explores the complexities of romantic breakups, the preciousness of friendship and the actual value of self-worth.
Commenting on the new album, she explains, "This is my heart and soul, my blood on the page, the collection of stories that I've managed to capture in the past year. A true chronicle of my life in recent history, it is my own twisted version of a breakup album, and it all draws upon the same couple of months' worth of experiences and inspirations. It ducks and weaves between the real and surreal and centers my own universe, of which I am, of course, the keeper of the keys and the holder of the cards - the good witch, if you will. It goes from light to dark in the flip of a switch, and I hope takes you on a journey where by the end, you feel like you've gotten lost in someone else's planet for a bit."
Opening with the title track, Peters declares, "Now I am twenty-two years old, let us consider this the peaceful period before the chaos." It sets the tone for the remaining tracks as the singer-songwriter dives into the highs and lows of her brief yet fully-lived existence. "Coming of Age" is a fantastic example of modern pop with an edgy twist, filled with attitude and functioning as a blueprint for the rest of the album. It hooks the listener right from the start and settles them in for the sonic journey they're about to embark on.
Peters showcases a range of emotions in "Watch," switching seamlessly from heart-string tugging confessions to fiery outbursts. This emotional range continues to thrive in the hit single, "Body Better," a bold pop song that deals with a breakup, insecurities, and how the world picks women's bodies apart. The emotional track opens with wailing instrumentation and poppy vocalizations before introducing us to Peters' thoughts and memories of her failed relationship. While catchy, upbeat sonics provide a solid foundation for the track, they juxtapose Peters' powerful lyricism, where she wonders whether or not she can compete with an ex-partner's ideals and societal beauty standards. "Were you sorry like you weren't at the time?," Peters questions before delving deeper into the heart of the matter, singing, "Loving you was easy / That's why it hurts now / The worst way to love somebody is to watch them love somebody else."
In "You're Just A Boy (And I'm Kinda The Man)," the singer exudes confidence as she declares her intention to take over the world atop a catchy pop beat. In "Run" and "BSC," Peters continues experimenting with her sound, displaying unwavering belief in her music and honest lyrics. In addition, songs like "Wendy" and "Two Weeks Ago" transition from upbeat pop to more introspective tones.
Other notable tracks include the previously released "Lost The Breakup" and the dance-inducing, self-assuring "There It Goes, easing listeners into the masterpiece that is the record's closer "History of Man." The finale boasts topics most pop stars wouldn't even think to write about, going back through history and discussing the gender differences between powerful men and women, including Samson and Delilah and Helen of Troy. "Women's hearts are lethal weapons," she pronounces, "Did you hold mine and feel threatened?"
At only twenty-three, Peters' has so poetically and flawlessly captured the plague of heartbreak and love and how the differences between men and women have led to so much strife. The Good Witch is a break-up album, emotional confessional, societal commentary, and so much more wrapped all in one stunning sophomore effort.
Listen to The Good Witch below:
