As Milena Galasso casts off unwanted inhibitions by singing of ‘dancing through the flames’, you’d think ‘Singing Through the Pain’ was lyrically hackneyed. Yet through singing about battling the daily hustle – “everything around me moves so fast” – Galasso’s imagery does not feel like an overdone trope. Rather, it’s sweetly endearing.
The singer-songwriter has Italian and Serbian origins but resides in London. She cares too about the artists who’ve come before her, particularly citing the most significant female vocalists in recent years like Adele and Dua Lipa as influences.
Understandable then that Galasso’s music involves loose but heartfelt storytelling. She sings of a dream that her house is burning as the walls collapse around her. As asphyxiation hits, she learns to ‘slow down’, unafraid to ‘live my life at my own pace’. In doing so, she breathes and relaxes once more.
It’s twee but kind-hearted pop with the sincerity to make it work. Underneath, and unfortunately, the accompanying and low-key percussive groove suffers from overexposure. It’s pleasant listening, but the umpteenth iteration makes you question whether Galasso could have switched things up as the song reaches its conclusion.
Galasso calls herself free-spirited. ‘Singing Through the Pain’ summarises this as she proclaims to believe ‘there are no mistakes’.
Perhaps that’s true. Galasso’s alacrity and lyrical sincerity means that, despite some shortcomings, her music bounds with infectious aplomb. Which, after all, is appropriate for a song about casting off unwanted inhibitions.
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