Miya Folick : Erotica Veronica
Hopeless romantics have it rough. On the surface, they’d appear to be the most catered-to media consumers on the planet, from literal millennia of songs to poems and dramas—cottage industries of movies and books exist to satiate their lovesick souls. Yet they’re actually the most discerning. The true diehards won’t accept just any romance novel, Hallmark movie, or cloying pop tune—an actual romantic would demand only the best.
Which brings us to Miya Folick. On 2023’s Roach, the California singer/songwriter displayed tremendous artistic ambition, and an openness in how she expressed her feelings. The album overflowed with diaristic lyrics about young love while the arrangements paid tribute to ‘90s radio-friendly electro-pop. With Erotica Veronica, she has upped several antes in terms of her songwriting and discussing her emotions. Released on Nettwerk, this eleven-song project delivers bittersweet pop music with indie flair that feels of a lineage with Natalie Merchant, Shawn Colvin, Lucy Dacus, and Sharon Van Etten.
At the heart of everything sits a deep well of sensual reflections and unabashed queer romanticism. With each track, you feel as if you’re sitting right next to Folick and the object of her affections. But instead of drowning the listener (much less her lover) in cloying sentimentality or tawdry come-hithers, she projects a welcome intimacy that conveys a newfound emotional freedom. She rejoices in being feeling alive for the first time, able to seek out authentic love on her terms without restriction or expectation.
The album opens with “Erotica,” an easy-strumming tune sung to the album’s titular Veronica, complete with dizzying details of how “my sensual proclivities fuel your anxieties.” On “Alaska,” we get a slow-growing anthem about Folick’s nerves and fears, even as her love deepens, especially with lines like, “And I wondered if you wanted more / and wrapped in a towel I stood in your room / as you gave me a sweater to change into.” With “Prism of Light,” she gives us an upbeat standout perfect for sunny days and road trips, including sentiments such as, “Heaven only knows what I need / But if you see that and you see it shining / promise you will point it out to me.”
Folick achieves her musical vision through a vintage guitar, bass, and drums setup with delightful piano subtleties. In crafting such an unadorned pop-rock sound, she teamed up with several musicians from past albums, including Sam KS on drums and Pat Kelly on bass, while Greg Uhlmann, Meg Duffy, and Waylon Rector rotate through on guitar. The shimmering production and comfortable arrangements provide the perfect vehicle for her dreamy vocals, especially when she lets her clean falsetto out to play.
The ultimate appeal of Erotica Veronica to perceptive romantics lies in the album’s clear-eyed descriptions of everyday life. It definitely helps that she conveys such realistic lyrics with clear song structures, warm dynamic shifts, and pleasant grooves that are familiar, but never formulaic. Miya Folick shares her feeling openly: not only do you believe exactly what she’s singing, but you can easily detect your own love story in hers.
Label: Nettwerk
Year: 2025
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