One thing is clear: no boy wants to play with Pia Mia Perez.
Born in Guam, the “Do It Again” singer-actor-author has spent over a decade establishing herself as a multi-platinum artist. She already has billions of streams under her belt. Yet she has never released a full length album–until now.
Pia Mia’s Anti Romantica: An Album 10 Years in the Making
Anti Romantica, Pia Mia’s long-awaited debut album, is a powerful journey through the trenches of love and heartbreak. The album’s opener sets the tone with a self-reflective dialogue. Pia talks herself through the process of moving on from an ex. The memorable line, “We gotta have a talk, let me help remind you in case you forgot, repeat after me.” This is followed by Pia responding to herself, almost doubtingly, with “I’m not going to fuck him again”.
The track “Nice and Slow” yearns for the attention Pia has just vowed to leave behind. The song’s production blends her island roots with Afrobeat influences. This juxtaposition brings us to the latest single, “Sugar”, which tugs at the irresistible when it comes to romance. Pia sings, “I need you on me, so I wear your cologne”, over a captivating Pop/R&B beat.
Unapologetic Lyrics
Admitting defeat, “You Win” is Anti Romantica’s first true realization of the toxicity of her past relationship. She grapples with whether the heartache was self-inflicted or caused by her partner. It’s underscored by the lyrics “Did you break my heart, or did I break my own?” The first and only collaboration on the album, “Wish You Well,” featuring Marc E. Bassy, is one of many pop classics on this record and kicks off a sequence of Dua Lipa-inspired productions.
Here, Pia moves into her “revenge era.” She seemingly wishing her ex well, with the condition that he doesn’t fall for someone else. “Owe Me” follows, and it’s the first song where Pia seems self-assured in the conclusion of her relationship. She’s letting her former partner know she’s owed for the time and energy she wasted on him. This song marks a particularly high point in production quality. This is likely thanks to Grammy-nominated duo The Futuristics, who executive produced Anti Romantica.
The interlude, “All For You” provides a peek behind her heart’s curtain. She uses vocal distortion to emphasize a lingering sense of devotion. There’s part of her that would do anything for her former partner. The lyrics “Baby if you asked me what I’d do, I’m all for you,” speak for themselves. Its ethos is cemented as a lapse in judgment during a time of romantic vulnerability.
Heart-Rending Ballads
The latter half of Anti Romantica begins with “Hurt Forever.” Pia revels in the vindication of knowing her ex will bear the emotional weight of their split. She confidently sings, “One of us is going to hurt forever… and it won’t be me.” Perhaps the most Pia Mia-sounding song of them all, it’s a love child of her hit singles “Hot” and “Princess.” “Make Me Smile” delivers island-pop nostalgia like we know Pia can execute.
Rounding off the album with a guitar-driven ballad, “Easiest Goodbye” finds Pia in a moment of self-assured reflection. The chorus sneakily points at her earlier interlude through the use of strategically placed vocal distortion that echos “bout you.” The lyrics “I don’t really give a fuck about you,” may allude to the fact that moving on is easier said than done.
Ending Strong
Painted as the last song on the album (given it’s followed by an outro and a remix), “Lover” immediately tips its hat to Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain” on her own ANTI album. For the first time on this record, it seems as if Pia has found herself in love with someone new, taking the learnings from her previous relationship and longing for a different outcome. She powerfully exclaims “I don’t want to look back with regret so I chose a lover, he’s you, you better be choosing me too,” followed by “tell me now, no your hands ain’t tied.”
The last original song, “Wonder (Outro)”, repeats the lyric “Nobody gets me like you do”, yet again layering Pia’s vocals with various distortions uttering the same lyric. Has Pia found herself in a new relationship, and if so, does the choice of vocal production discretely comment on the fact there are still wounds from her previous relationship that she’s working through?
This is confirmed with the last song on Anti Romantica. It’s a dance floor remix of the album’s opening track “Repeat After Me” by DJ Smallz 732, a Pia vs. Pia sonic journal entry reminding herself–and listeners–to avoid falling back into old patterns.
Final Thoughts on “Anti-Romantica”
Overall, Pia Mia’s Anti Romantica offers a concise and authentic portrayal of a relationship’s lifecycle, paving the way for new beginnings. A decade in the making, Anti Romantica has irrefutably been cooking this whole time through Pia’s lived experiences. The Futuristics masterfully melted all of the genres that have complimented Pia over the years, and she delivered a wait-worthy album through her storytelling by way of her vocal prowess. This album will undoubtedly live on repeat, so repeat after me when we say we can’t wait for her to do it again.