Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara’s career began as a teenager on YouTube. The artist started by posting acoustic covers of songs such as Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors” and The Neighbourhood’s “Sweater Weather.” In 2014, she signed with EP Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings and, only a year later, released her debut single “Here.”
10 years, four Grammy nominations — including a Best New Artist nod — and several notable collaborations later, Cara released her fourth studio album “Love & Hyperbole.” She released the album’s lead single, “Dead Man,” last July, and the follow-up single “(Isn’t It) Obvious,” featuring a John Mayer guitar solo, three months later.
At an exclusive press conference last week, the Daily was invited to hear Cara discuss the creative journey behind her latest work and her personal growth.
In her new album, Cara takes a more open approach to love, a topic she once struggled to explore without fear. “Love & Hyperbole” marks a notable departure from the melancholic tones of her previous love songs. It’s “the first time I’ve ever written a love song without any sort of fear attached to it, or any sort of negativity or stubbornness around it,” she shared, describing “Fire,” the twelfth track on the album. The lyrics embody this shift from her past anxieties toward a bold, unabashed celebration of love with “I’m jumping in head first and/ Ooh, I’m on fire” and “I wanna bе where you are/ Anywhеre else is too far.”
Despite the freeing nature of this album, Cara admits that her journey up until this point has not been without challenges. Reflecting on her artistic evolution since her debut album “Know-It-All,” and her sophomore album “The Pains of Growing,” Cara said, “On one side of it, I feel like the exact same person. The DNA of that album and who I was at the time is still very much there … but on the other side, I feel like I’ve also changed so much.”
This transformation is reflected not just in her songwriting, but in her mindset. Cara explained that much of her younger self was fueled by angst and intense emotions. Now, however, she feels softer and more open. “I just have a different view of the world and of life,” she said.
“Know-It-All” debuted almost 10 years ago, when Cara was only 19 years old. The album, which she started writing at 17, is largely about youth and teenage life, touching on themes of rebellion, confusion and vulnerability. Now, 28 many years past adolescence, Cara and “Love & Hyperbole” are in a different stage of life.
This shift is also evident in her approach to creativity. “I’ve used a lot of those negative traits about myself and harnessed them and learned how to reshape them into actually helping me,” she explained, regarding her stubbornness. Although she admittedly continues to remain stubborn, it is no longer holding her back emotionally.
Despite her accomplishments, Cara remains driven by the desire to continue evolving. “No matter how much success you have, or how early on, to just continue to have goals,” she said. However, she cautioned against placing too much emphasis on expectations, noting that expectations can sometimes sabotage creativity, especially when thinking about previous accomplishments. “It’s kind of strange to compare yourself to things that you’ve done already or to your younger self, because you’re always looking backwards.” Cara attempts to tread this fine line of not focusing too much on expectations while also maintaining healthy goals.
She described this album as a personal breakthrough, where she let go of the perfectionism that once shaped her songwriting. Instead of entering the studio with a fully formed idea, she allowed herself the freedom to explore and create without the pressure of perfection. “I just always thought that if I went into a studio and I couldn’t write anything that day, or if nothing came to me, that I wasted someone’s time or I didn’t prove myself.” This album has allowed her to release some of the pressure of songwriting.
Beyond simply songwriting, however, this album also denotes a shift, musically. Departing from Cara’s earlier sound, “Love & Hyperbole” features a more organic, live-band feel drawing inspiration from the energy of the ’60s and ’70s. The album’s sound is influenced by some of Cara’s favorite artists, such as Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and Otis Redding. The goal was “to go back to a time where music felt more free and live,” Cara explained.
“Love & Hyperbole” is more than just another album for Cara, with its blend of vulnerability, emotional depth and newfound freedom, it’s a bold declaration of her evolution as both an artist and a person.
