idkraeven offers a deeply personal and empowering exploration into her life’s journey with her debut EP, NETHERWATER. The eight-track release details the profound challenges she has faced throughout her life, starting with being put in foster care at the age of three. After years of enduring emotional abuse from her adoptive parents, idkraeven channels her trauma into the raw, unflinching new release, with single “BLEED OUT” introducing us to the EP and serving as the ultimate F.U.
The entirety of NETHERWATER delves into heavy topics, with the songwriter also speaking on her experiences with sexual abuse, relationships, and breakups. However, despite the darkness, the EP is as much about survival as it is about suffering. Everything she has been through has made her stronger than before, and this EP is another step towards healing. The title, NETHERWATER, refers to the River Styx in Greek mythology, the river that separates the Underworld from the mortal realm, and whose waters possess a magical power to allow those who touch it immortality. The songwriter shares, “Metaphorically, I feel as though I am sitting amidst the waters of the Styx, physically unscathed and protected, but mentally tormented by the surrounding view of hell. The title encapsulates the dichotomy of feeling physically invincible but mentally damaged.”
Alongside her deep lyrical themes, idkraeven welcomes listeners into her unique sonic world, as she mixes animated rap vocals with trap drums and acoustic guitars to deliver a feminine side to the emo scene.
A true testament to the power of vulnerability and self-empowerment, NETHERWATER sees idkraeven reflecting on her journey and finding victory over adversity.
