Following her explosive bop about boys who wear dresses with black nail polish and burn through cigarettes, singer Charlotte Sands arrives today with "Bad Day" — the ultimate it's not a phase, mom; get out of my room guitar-pop anthem that sounds like the rebel BFF to Olivia Rodrigo's Sour opener, "Brutal."
In a nostalgic era when Avril Lavigne is making TikToks with early aughts skate icons and Kourtney Kardashian is arriving to rooftop rock concerts in red-and-black striped sweaters like it's Warped Tour '09, Sands' angsty messaging sounds perfectly of-the-moment.
"Bad Day" rattles off all her frustrations and existential dread, finding comfort in the fact that she's "trending" despite the world ending. "It's all for what?" she asks, before eventually breaking into a massive chorus that we'll all be scream-singing this summer: "I had a no good, really bad, messed up day/ And I'm stressed out, super sad, not ok."
"So often in life, we're told to be positive and get over things quickly, but I've always felt that we need to fully feel every emotion in order to move on," Sands says. "'Bad Day' is about recognizing your lows so that you're able to grow. When everything feels like it's going wrong and the world is falling down around you, leaning into that feeling of being at rock bottom is sometimes the only thing that can make you better."
Naturally, PAPER asked Sands to break down her tips to dealing with an inevitable bad day, below. If all else fails, you can just call her at 615-933-5836 — she'll listen when no one else does.
1. Drink Some Water
Taking care of your body and your mind by staying hydrated is a great place to start. Also, studies show that drinking a glass of water can calm your nerves and improve your mood, so what do you have to lose?
2. Get Some Air
Whether that means going outside or opening your window while you lay in bed staring at the ceiling for what feels like an eternity, I promise it will help. If you're able to peel yourself out of bed, try going on a quick walk and leaving your phone at home. Disconnecting from social media always seems to make me feel a little more sane.
3. Listen to a 2000s Female Pop-Punk Song
I personally recommend "Since You've Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson or "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne. If that doesn't work, try "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette — hopefully it does the trick.
4. Write a Letter
As simple as this sounds, physically writing down your thoughts when you're upset or overwhelmed can help you properly process any negative emotions and create some space for positive ones. I like to believe that when you write things down you're transferring the thought, feeling, idea etc. to a different place so it can no longer have any weight or hold on you.
5. Treat Yourself
Sometimes you have to give yourself a break, sit back and do some mindless relaxation activities. This could mean ordering your favorite food, watching your favorite movie or something as simple as taking a nap — whatever floats your boat. Days like this for me usually include binge-watching any and every rom-com starring Kate Hudson while laying in a bed surrounded by a multitude of sour candy.
6. Scream Into Your Pillow
I know how ridiculous this may sound, but screaming when you're upset can be really helpful. I am a full supporter of getting all that pent up negative energy out of your body in a 30-second scream.
7. Call Me and Complain
If you are truly having a "Bad Day," call me at 615-933-5836 and leave me a message venting all about it. I created this voicemail box just you can spill the tea on everything you're stressed about without any criticism or unnecessary judgement from your parents or your friends.
Photos courtesy of Charlotte Sands