Ava Della Pietra isn’t just a pretty face. Yes, she’s undoubtedly easy on the eyes, but she’s also a multi-instrumentalist, dynamic singer, and an able writer unafraid to pen her material and lead with it rather than leaning on a bevy of pop song hit doctors to concoct cookie-cutter songs unconnected to her experience. She’s ripped “ego” from the pages of her personal autobiography and we’re better off for it as music listeners.
It’s a single that means business from the beginning. It starts out leading with Della Pietra’s post-production enhanced vocals and enticing percussion. It’s a quick bit of musical sleight of hand, however, as Della Pietra soon sweeps listeners into a different groove highlighted by her upper-register vocal pyrotechnics. It isn’t just sound signifying nothing, however, as Della Pietra’s “ego” clearly aims for musical substance from the outset and never fails to deliver. It isn’t just pop gloss as shallow as a bird bath.
The stunning balance she keeps between pure pop effervescence and vocal firepower is one of the song’s big selling points. A talent for conveying equal parts vulnerability and strength is reflective of a first-class singer and she sustains those lofty standards at every turn through the song. It’s pop to its core – in its instrumentation, its thematic concerns, and even the high-polish production that nonetheless maintains a studious even-handed focus on presenting Della Pietra’s singing and the arrangement as an unified whole rather than a jig-sawed composition where the parts are greater than the sum.
Her instincts for song length serve her well. “ego” never oversteps its mandate and, instead, wastes no time establishing its authority over the listener’s attention and surrendering its hold over us before it risks overstaying its welcome. It’s a near-ideal length for a promotional clip. The running time makes for a thoroughly realized music video that complements the song in every way while likewise standing on its own as a potent visual work. The urban vibe rife throughout the video doesn’t have anything to do with the song’s subject, per se, but nonetheless fits in quite well with the general mood and thrust of Della Pietra’s music.
“ego” is the music of the now, not mired in some increasingly distant past, but alive for today and crackling with the many elements that ensure pop song success in the modern landscape. Her choice of subject matter practically ensures a built-in audience and even potential male listeners will have experienced the dysfunctional qualities of the relationship she’s writing about. Della Pietra grounds her songwriting in a flesh and blood world where emotional stakes run high and communicates that with urgency and musical drama.
“ego” is and will be a track she can be proud of for many years to come. It’s easy to hear this cut as a stalwart song for Ava Della Pietra’s live performances moving forward from here as it parades an assortment of emotions that will likely always be at her beck and call as a performer. Her stunning development continues unhindered with this new single release “ego” and it’s anyone’s guess what new surprises await us in the months and years to come.
Chadwick Easton