Mya Angelique – paper girls (2025)
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mya Angelique’s roots in classical training and storytelling collide beautifully in this seven-track project, written largely during her mid-teens. Currently studying Music Composition at Berklee College of Music, she combines her technical prowess with heartfelt vulnerability, echoing the emotional depth of artists like Lorde and Olivia Rodrigo, while carrying her own distinct voice. Now, as a rising pop singer-songwriter, Mya Angelique crafts a gorgeously raw coming-of-age collection that is equal parts confessional journal and glitter-soaked daydream with her debut EP, paper girls.
paper girls is a coming-of-age soundtrack for anyone who’s ever felt like they had to hold themselves together with glitter glue. Each track peels back the layers of teenage girlhood, perfectionism, and the pursuit of identity, all with an unmistakable emotional clarity.
The EP opens with a gut-punch ‘sixteen’ which is a bittersweet ballad that captures the yearning to fit in, even if it means losing yourself in the process. Angelique’s lyrics are sharp and sincere, delivered with a tremble that mirrors the track’s theme of fragile self-discovery. The swelling instrumentation underscores the ache of growing up too fast, making this an unforgettable start.
Soft, intimate, and introspective, ‘quick-brush’ feels like a whispered secret. The delicate production, layered with acoustic elements and breathy vocals, reflects the subtle erosion of self-worth that Angelique explores. It’s not flashy, but its restraint is its strength, proof that not every moment of pain has to scream to be heard. The emotional centrepiece of the EP, ‘paper girls’, is an evocative meditation on identity and the performance of being “put-together.” This title track is haunting in its vulnerability, building slowly before unfolding into a cinematic chorus. Angelique’s voice floats like a paper doll in the wind: breakable, beautiful, and deeply human.
With a wink and a nod, ‘the boy in the band’ injects a shot of fun into the project. The cheeky lyrics and indie rom-com energy make it the most playful track on the EP. But beneath the charm is a knowingness, a commentary on romantic clichés and the roles we play for love. It’s catchy, clever, and totally re-listenable.
Angelique strips everything back here, offering a stark and sombre reflection on emotional burnout. ‘the comedown’ is raw and minimal, letting silence fill the gaps between the lyrics. It’s a song that sits heavy on the chest, perfectly capturing the aftermath of emotional highs and the quiet that follows.
Bold and brilliant, ‘teenage girl’ is Mya Angelique’s most lyrically potent moment. It’s a witty, fearless anthem about using humour as armour and emotion as power. The verses are razor-sharp, while the chorus is an explosion of catharsis, equal parts protest and celebration of femininity in all its messy glory. The EP closes with ‘glitter’, a heartachingly honest look at comparison and self-doubt. Yet even in heartbreak, there’s beauty, and that’s what makes this closer shimmer long after it ends.
Mya Angelique has delivered a stunning, deeply personal debut. paper girls doesn’t just tell stories; it invites listeners to see themselves in every fragile fold.
Find out more about Mya Angelique on her Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify.
