The Singles Bar: Sigrid shakes off the heartbreak with ‘Don’t Feel Like Crying’

Welcome to The Singles Bar, a review series focused on new single and song releases.

Earlier this month, Norwegian songstress Sigrid released the latest single from her forthcoming debut album, Sucker Punch, and once again, she has proven her ability to not only reach but excel past the pop standard. “Don’t Feel Like Crying” is an opus for a freshly broken heart; the soundtrack to the phase after the initial shock of a failed relationship, where ignorance is bliss and running away from the pain is the only way to avoid the tears. Is there anything groundbreaking here? Not really. But Sigrid’s knack to create precise melodies and effortless, earworm hooks is leagues above her peers.

The track kicks off with a punchy chorus of string instruments a la “Viva la Vida” before the pint-sized pike chimes in with a charming voice that’s as sweet as it is raspy. There’s little filler here, and at just over two and half minutes, she gets her point across. There’s a small window after heartbreak where one can either force themselves to forget or stew in the sadness. Sigrid chooses the former. Denial can, indeed, be cathartic. Her words, most of her lyrics, flow like an entry into a teenage diary:

“I know I should be all in my feelings,
Staring at the ceiling, but here’s the truth.

Wallowing in it would be such a waste,
That isn’t gonna fix it anyway…”

What’s truly tragic here is the likelihood that this track will go overlooked by the masses, like much of Sigrid’s discography. At the time of writing, DFLC has only clocked in about 2.3 million plays on Spotify. Seven digits is certainly nothing to scoff at, but after the previous successes of European hit “Strangers” and hype-laden breakout single “Don’t Kill My Vibe”, the initial reception feels lackluster ⏤ especially given that this is one of her last chances to generate buzz before her debut drops in March. A loss of momentum could mean a loss of confidence from her label, or worse, a loss of label funds backing the project.

Meanwhile, Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings”, which was released at the same time and is projected to reach the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, sits at nearly 105 million streams on the same platform. Of course, it’s hardly fair to pit a budding pop princess against a well-established, reigning queen. But Sigrid deserves better.

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