Toronto singer-songwriter Alex Porat has had it up to here with fuckboys and their bullshit excuses, and she's not putting up with the "Pity Party" any more.
Fresh off the release of her mini album, mini sick world, Porat returns with her latest track, "Pity Party." Full of soaring guitars, towering synths and harmonies reminiscent of contemporaries like Lorde or Olivia Rodrigo, "Pity Party" sees Porat grappling with internal turmoil and overcoming recent heartbreak.
With lyrics like, “You want me to pop champagne for your tears/ This will be the fake event of the year,” Porat manages to overcome her own insecurities and turn that into a defiant alt-pop anthem that stands in the face of anyone that's ever wronged her.
"I’m really bad at cutting people out of my life, so whenever I have a toxic relationship I end up holding on to it way longer than I should," Porat says of the track. "'Pity Party' is about trying to stay friends with someone who knows how to emotionally take advantage of you and how you feel. At some point, enough is enough, and you’re over their toxic drama."
To celebrate the release of her latest single, Porat put together a Spotify playlist for PAPER of tunes from fellow AAPI artists, including Conan Gray, Stephanie Poetri and more.
"When I was little, I struggled to name any Asian artists," Porat says. "That experience really hindered my self-confidence and I didn’t realize how much it would end up affecting me. It’s a huge motivational force for me seeing AAPI artists succeed now while managing to continue on with their art during a time where there was so much targeted hate. Community is power, and I’m proud to be a part of one that’s pushing for change and more representation."
Photography: Patrick Ryder