Samia Crashes Through the Surface with Brutal Honesty on New Single “Kill Her Freak Out”
By: Nadya Barghouty
“Kill Her Freak Out” feels like holding your breath underwater until you're forced to crash through the surface, unable to control your movement or sound. What comes out may not be wanted, but it’s candid and cathartic. When you pull your head to the top of the water and desperately take a breath, nothing else seems to matter. On this track, Samia gasps for air and leans into her feelings, no matter what they might turn out to be. “Kill Her Freak Out” is the first single off of Samia’s much-anticipated album, Honey, out January 27 of next year via Grand Jury.
The track begins with a somber organ. It dabbles between being reminiscent of a funeral march or just a general Catholic church precession. “Kill Her Freak out” feels almost ceremonial. The accompanying music video also features scenes of Samia standing in a body of water, similar to that of a baptism, only adding to the catharsis. Samia goes on to deliver sublime lines like “I dreamt I was pregnant / I woke up with my guard down” and “When you get passive I like to imagine you listening to worship songs on your iPod.” I’m sure these lines and more from “Kill Her Freak Out” have already been memorialized by social media.
While the entire track features descriptive and straightforward storytelling, the chorus elevates “Kill Her Freak Out” to a new level of brutal honesty. Samia exclaims “I’ve never been this bad and then asks, “Can I tell you something?” Samia notes on Stereogum that this chorus came from downplaying emotions that felt wrong and constantly quieting her true feelings in fear of someone’s reaction. With context, the question feels almost cheeky. She follows up with no tone change, to say “I hope you marry the girl from your hometown / And I’ll fucking kill her / And I’ll fucking freak out.” The vocals give a slight pause and the organ drones on, making space for the listener to reflect on the gravity of Samia’s words. In the same statement, she explains: “I didn’t want to kill anyone, obviously, I just wanted to yell.”
Producer Caleb Wright highlights Samia’s vocals beautifully, and the simplicity of his composition should not downplay the genius. With her sharp storytelling, sometimes less is more and Wright understands that. The background stays instrumentally interesting but never too much; the type of accompaniment that can only be developed between close friends. The organ continues throughout the track and is accompanied by what sounds like an electric harp. Both ancient instruments add to the confessional nature of the track.
Samia ends the song with her gut-wrenching chorus. However, “Kill Her Freak Out” continues for over a minute after the words “And I’ll fucking freak out.” Lilting vocals follow, then 60 seconds of pure ambient and reflective organ. As you’re starting to feel relaxed, the organ starts swelling like a balloon, and right before the balloon is about to pop, the track ends.
I’ll be honest, I originally thought Honey had big shoes to fill. Besides being a personal favorite, her debut, The Baby, was undoubtedly one of the best albums of 2020 and will continue to make people laugh, cry, and scream for years to follow. “Kill Her Freak Out”, however, has shown us that Honey is not keen on filling anyone’s shoes. Samia’s shoes may actually just be starting to fit or hell, maybe they are brand new shoes that she just likes more now. The era of The Baby is done and with brilliant-as-ever songwriting, Samia is taking us along her journey through adulthood with Honey.
