Soda Blonde’s Faye O’Rourke and Adam O’Regan talk about the band's intense Valentine’s release “People Pleaser,” an uplifting, emotionally charged anthem addressing love, validation, and the self-destructive patterns we're often unable to escape.
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Stream: “People Pleaser” – Soda Blonde
“People Pleaser” serves as an anthem for those who love too easily, frequently lose themselves, and confuse validation with love. It examines the cycle of seeking connection no matter the cost, even if it causes pain.
There’s a raw, poignant honesty woven into “People Pleaser,” the new single from Dublin’s Soda Blonde.
Released on Valentine’s Day, the track upends traditional views of love and desire, revealing the delicate, compulsive craving for connection that frequently disguises itself as romance. With soaring vocals, vibrant melodies, and rich production, “People Pleaser” operates as both a confession and a challenge, confronting self-destructive behaviors in real-time. Frontwoman Faye O’Rourke offers some of her most vulnerable lyrics yet, while bassist Adam O’Regan makes his first appearance as a lead vocalist, signifying a turning point for the band and anyone who has ever lost themselves in their pursuit of others.
People Pleaser – Soda Blonde
It’s really not okay
Don’t you see your words affect me
In a violent way as I struggle
It’s tough and I plead
You know I need to stay out late
Talking things over with friends
Who let me share
You know a few things
Have happened to me
From my younger days
But you never thought to ask
Too many for me to count
As Soda Blonde’s first release of the year, following last year’s well-received singles “Bully” and “The Saddest Thing” (featured in our 106th Editor’s Picks), “People Pleaser” sets the tone for what’s anticipated to be an exciting new chapter in the band’s evolution. Self-produced, the track brims with emotional intensity, combining urgent percussion with sweeping synth sounds and a restless bass line. At its heart, it’s an anthem for those who love too easily and often lose themselves – a song that confronts the damage head-on while embracing unflinching self-awareness. Releasing it on Valentine’s Day feels intentional: a subversive response to the day’s typical themes, acknowledging the more challenging, chaotic sides of love.
“Valentine’s Day evokes a variety of emotions for people – it’s not purely about romance and flowers,” O’Rourke shares with Atwood Magazine.
“There’s longing, heartbreak, and self-reflection. ‘People Pleaser’ tackles love and self-worth, making it an ideal counterpoint to the standard Valentine's sentiment. It's a bit of a disingenuous celebration anyway, so it felt meaningful to infuse it with something real for us.”
Formed in 2019 from the remnants of indie folk band Little Green Cars, Soda Blonde has swiftly become a personal favorite and a regular feature on Atwood Magazine’s pages due to their captivating mix of sound, style, and substance. Comprising Faye O’Rourke (vocals), Adam O’Regan (bass, production, vocals), Donagh Seaver-O’Leary (drums), and Dylan Lynch (guitar), the Dublin-based quartet quickly established their identity, debuting with the Terrible Hands and Isolation • Content EPs before their highly praised first album, Small Talk, in 2021. Their second album, Dream Big, was released in 2023, further cementing their status as one of Ireland’s most exciting and ambitious bands. Seamlessly blending shimmering synth-pop, brooding indie rock, and a bold narrative style, Soda Blonde creates music that is both thought-provoking and intoxicating – an ethos evident in “People Pleaser.”
Soda Blonde ‘Dream Big’ and Win Big on Ambitious, Empowered, & Liberating Sophomore Album:: FEATURE ::
Soda Blonde escalates to a peak as they reach the song’s chorus, offering an unfiltered catharsis where desperation collides with defiance.
The band pours their signature charisma and raw energy into a refrain that is equally ecstatic and heartbreaking. O’Rourke’s voice cuts through the rich soundscape with urgent clarity, each line serving as a confession enveloped in anthemic grandeur: “‘Cause I people please, it’s a kind of disease, I told you that I’m really not alright,” she passionately delivers, placing emphasis on the emotional weight of her words. Her delivery feels almost breathless, unraveling in response to the pulsing drums and cascading synths propelling the track toward its culmination. The line “I’m going to love whoever’s right in front of me” resonates with powerful gravity
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Faye O'Rourke and Adam O'Regan of Soda Blonde talk about the band's powerful Valentine's track "People Pleaser," an uplifting, emotionally intense anthem that confronts themes of love, the need for validation, and the patterns of self-destructive behavior we find difficult to overcome.