Puma June doesn’t hold anything back on ‘Shadows of My Trauma’

Toronto’s Puma June released "Shadows of My Trauma" via Puma June Records.

Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist Puma June has released her first single of the year in the form of "Shadows of My Trauma," a sultry and subdued R&B piano ballad in which June reflects on a nasty breakup and how it connects to her own childhood trauma.

Painfully raw and unflinchingly introspective, June pulls no punches painting a picture of her feelings surrounding her ex-lover, with emotionally naked lines laid over sparse production to give the lyrics and performance center stage. Isolated piano chords, upright bass notes and a non-intrusive drum loop are the canvas upon which June paints, with lines like “I can’t be intimate, I do not feel safe / But maybe I will never feel safe in his arms unless he’s driving me away.”

June’s vocal performance is jazzy and soulful, reminiscent of a Yebba or a Tems, and feels like it would be right in place in a jazz bar or lounge setting. In addition to the song, June self-directed a music video that does a great job at visually representing the tone of the track, but also the song’s primary themes. There’s a motif of rebirth and escape, represented through visuals that directly reflect song lyrics, such as when June sings “Fly, fly pretty bird, fly, fly pretty,” and a parrot takes flight. However, there are also more indirect allusions to the themes such as June hatching from an egg to become the bird herself.

For new fans of Puma June,’Shadows of My Trauma’ is an excellent entrypoint for listeners to discover an artist who wears her scars proudly on her sleeve, refusing to compromise the depth of her feelings for commercial viability or widespread appeal, and instead digging deep so those that understand will understand on the most intimate level. For returning fans, the song will be a welcome return after a year since June’s last release. We here at EARMILK are very excited to see where the budding artist goes next.