Mining pop-and-folk-inflected R&B templates, she offers winning melodies and enticing vocals. Lyrically, she largely eschews sexual tropes and braggadocio, instead opting for self-reflection, exploring habitual tendencies that undermine her higher commitments. The project brims with honesty, practical wisdom, and reminders that we’re more resilient than we think.
The stadium-ready “alone” spotlights Burns’ versatile voice as she laments her loneliness. “I’ve never even been on a date / I find it hard to open up”, she confesses, inventorying her own shortcomings rather than casting blame on others. “I’m so scared of you loving me”, she elaborates on “low esteem”, probing her inclination to guard or shield herself, sabotaging opportunities for fear of being hurt. With “live more and love more”, on the other hand, she advocates a carpe diem approach, stressing that we need to openheartedly engage with people and trust ourselves to make the right decisions, proceeding from positivity rather than skepticism.
The steamy “go” shows Burns dropping the details on a ruptured relationship. “Don’t call this number anymore”, she proclaims, setting a boundary. Her delivery and tone occasionally recall SZA, though SZA’s response to a cheating lover tends to be more incendiary and/or cynical. “end game”, too, features Burns expressing grief over a relationship that has ended with infidelity. Rather than venting rage or expressing a desire for revenge, Burns strives for a level-headed assessment of what went wrong. On “happier without you”, meanwhile, she coaches herself to adhere to long-term objectives and not acquiesce to destructive urges.
“this is what happens” stands as the introvert’s manifesto. “It takes a lot for me to leave my house these days / … I would rather be alone than socialize.” One can hear echoes of Kelela in Burns’ phrasing; however, if Kelela oozes a confident sensuality, the more timorous Burns aspires to equanimity. In fact, she flirts with an objective stance, her dissection of anxiety occasionally ringing as abstract. The buoyant “people pleaser” similarly highlights Burns putting herself under the microscope, observing, indeed researching, the way she accommodates others, frequently to her own detriment.
early twenties presents Burns as a talented singer with a distinct lyrical focus. On “know that you’re not alone”, she admits, “I’m not where I want to be”, quickly adding that “everybody’s in the same boat”. In this way, she normalizes her struggles and setbacks, encouraging her listeners to embrace their own challenges. early twenties documents a young and talented artist striving to make herself a better human and the world a better place.
