FELICITY EMBRACES EMOTIONAL JET LAG AND EXISTENTIAL WHIPLASH ON SOPHOMORE EP 4PM IN THE MORNING
THE NEW FELICITY EP
“I called it 4PM In The Morning because that’s genuinely how my brain has felt,” Felicity shares. “The world feels upside down. Up is down, day is night—and I’m just awake, writing songs and watching the sun come up because I haven’t gone to bed yet.”
Photo Credit: Hannah Gray Hall
On 4PM In The Morning, alt-pop artist Felicity turns emotional chaos into cathartic transparency by capturing the highs and lows of navigating adulthood. Written in the morning hours when time is blurred and everything feels loud, the five-track sophomore EP released through East Music Row Records becomes the soundtrack to a coming-of-age cinematic experience of acknowledging unspoken feelings. Composed with collaborators Austin Luther (Winona Fighter), Asia Whiteacre (Tate McRae, Bebe Rexha), Dan Pellarin (Teddy Swims), and Johnny Gates, 4PM In The Morning is an exposé of balancing humor and heartbreak, all wrapped in bold, cinematic production.
The tracks on the EP drift between themes of surrealism and witty relatability, through the unpacking of betrayal on “Bad Waste of Good Oxygen,” confronting nostalgia in “Half Sad,” struggling with self-image in “I’ll Have What He’s Having,” the ache of heartbreak in the focus track, “Denver Airport,” and the intense feelings of having a secret admiration in “Carnivorous Butterflies.” Impressively, Felicity can share the most vulnerable part of her emotions and experiences through her lyrics throughout the EP, conveying a strong sense of self.
BAD WASTE OF GOOD OXYGEN
Beginning the EP with the first track, “Bad Waste of Good Oxygen” features acoustic waves alongside a soft piano, creating a moody atmosphere. Felicity's heavenly vocals set an initial gentle tone through lyrics “I’m rooting for you like I’m rooting for a car to crash,” with a vocal emphasis on crash foreshadowing the song's message of feeling consumed in a toxic relationship. A catchy synth shifts into a vibrant tempo layered on top of the earlier acoustics, adding to the emotional weight. Nearing the end of the track, a twinkling harmony gives way to an explosive guitar solo, followed by Felicity's powerful vocals, culminating in a powerful finale.
HALF SAD
On “Half Sad,” Felicity delves into the quietly devastating in-betweens of nostalgia and numbness, all wrapped in a lo-fi glitter-glazed production. Where the track moves like a hazy daydream, encapsulating feelings of dissociation and ache all in one. Felicity captures the emotional burnout of feeling nothing, yet everything at the same time, but provides comfort to listeners by acknowledging these feelings through acceptance. The beauty of “Half Sad” lies in its shimmering alt-pop production and through poetic lyrics, where an in-depth, detailed breakdown of the track can be explored here.
I’LL HAVE WHAT HE’S HAVING
“I’ll Have What He’s Having” frames a longing desperation to embrace a positive self-image through the lens of someone else. The production mirrors the emotional complexity, with lush acoustic strings opening the track, textured synths and a swirl of live instruments. Felicity’s vocals are central, and the harmonization in the backing tracks adds to the layers of vibrant intensity. What begins as a slow-burning confessional of relying on others to see how we perceive ourselves concludes with a resolution of reclaiming the lens of our own self-love. It’s not just about a guy, but realizing your own self-worth through detachment.
FELICITY
“It’s about wanting to see yourself the way someone who loves you does. Because whatever I’m seeing? It’s not the same – and I’d much rather have what he’s having.”
Photo Credit: Hannah Gray Hall
DENVER AIRPORT (FOCUS TRACK)
With the EP’s focus track “Denver Airport,” Felicity transforms emotional turbulence into a surreal and slow-burning recollection of heartbreaking memories. Based on America’s most mythologized conspiracy theory of the Denver International Airport, the moment and lyrics reflect on ghosted memories from a deep connection. Opening with the line, “I thought I saw your ghost appear / They say the airport’s haunted,” Felicity draws a parallel between the airport's dead-end tunnels and the shadows of the crowd to a lost love connection. It’s about trying to recover from heartbreak, but still seeing the person's shadow everywhere you go. The production starts small with a hushed acoustic guitar and quiet vocals, then builds into a crescendo of layered harmonies and sweeping instrumentation. One of the most prominent lyrics, “stop wearing my heart,” floats between grief and detachment, when the tempo shifts into a subtle head-pop signifying the light at the end of the tunnel.
CARNIVOROUS BUTTERFLIES
Lastly, “Carnivorous Butterflies” closes out the EP with an acoustic-driven and lyrically intimate track, disclosing feelings of an intense crush that is consuming her mind. A single confessional line, “I miss you when you’re next to me and fast asleep,” is an emotional contradiction of not being emotionally tied to the love interest, despite being physically present. The title itself is a metaphor for the exciting and fluttery feelings that are combined with an unhealthy obsession. “How did we get here?” Felicity asks. The question is rooted in exhaustion, stemming from feelings that are too overwhelming to resolve.
In 4PM In The Morning, Felicity recites confusing and numb sentiments on navigating early adulthood and romantic connections. Where heartbreak, humor and existential dread exist in the confessional “Bad Waste of Oxygen” and the haunting of “Denver Airport.” The emotional honesty through Felicity's storytelling and lyrics is what makes this EP so reassuring to listeners. It is a reminder that in our most confusing, messy and vulnerable moments in life, our feelings are not alone.
