Empty Pinata's first single, "I Have A Huge Crush On Doja Cat," pulls listeners into a daydream assembled from equal parts comedy, harmonies, and heartache. Alejandro, the artistic driving force behind the Empty Pinata alias, is no stranger to creative expression. After years of helping to develop other artists' visuals and landscapes as a photographer, director, and manager, he's finally entering his spotlight. And he's doing it with undeniable style.
The song, one of the standouts from his forthcoming EP Nail Biter, sounds like rifling through a tattered diary of nonsensical romantic daydreams and melancholic self-discovery. With melodic hints of Joji and the left-of-center genius of Tyler, The Creator, Empty Pinata constructs a whole world around the notion. It's dreamy, cheeky, and self-aware in a significant way. The production has a cinematic polish, but the delivery is raw and human. You can hear the years Alejandro spent honing his craft for others, now redirected into a sound that's entirely his. One moment, you're cackling at the audacity of the title. The next, you're locked into the melodic honesty of someone quietly wondering whether they're worth loving.
Empty Pinata sat down to write a love song but got lost in a whirl of ideas instead and made something unique. His vocal layering and warm analog textures resemble a buoyant cruise through canyons with the windows down, the spirit of curiosity at the wheel.
"I Have A Huge Crush On Doja Cat" is a declaration. One of which declares Empty Pinata is not here to play by the rules. He's here to twist them into new forms, mix genres with feeling, and take us along.