Now, with her sophomore album Old Enough to Save Myself, on the horizon, Rumia shines a light on what we can expect with the release of her latest single, “Role Model.” Just in time for spring, the track sparkles with rambling, airy guitar textures, buoyant production, and a message that resonates and still echoes deep into the future.
Rumia has a knack for creating sonic landscapes that feel intimate and expansive, and “Role Model” is no exception. The song drifts between memories and self-discovery, set atop a careful balance of wistful melodies and ethereal instrumentation. It welcomes listeners into Rumia’s universe, in which previous experiences inform current feelings in surprising ways.
“Role Model” is, at some level, a meditation on someone Rumia once looked up to and who helped build a structure that has kept him going since childhood as a creative influence. Her delivery has an emotional rawness as she works through a relationship that once put her on her artistic path. But as the song progresses, you're left with a bittersweet epiphany of a realization that the admiration that once burned brightly now no longer shines just as bright, that sometimes, the people we idolize aren't meant to remain on that pedestal.
The song falls into dreamy indie-pop territory, with lush instrumentation surrounding Rumia’s gentle but passionate vocals. The production gives every note room to breathe, creating a near-weightless sensation that matches the song’s subject matter of transient praise. It’s a song that feels like a warm breeze on a chilly night, soft, sad, and gracefully propelling.
With “Role Model,” Rumia sets the tone beautifully for the forthcoming Old Enough to Save Myself. It’s an insular, gorgeously constructed work that shows her talent for transforming experiences in her own life into collective feelings. This one should hit whether you’ve had a role model you’ve outgrown or enjoy music with a core.
Watch Rumia's "Role Model" on YouTube.
Connect with Rumia: Instagram
