Angsty yet optimistic, WILLOW’s latest single, “curious/furious,” is reflective of the artist’s creative and experimental persona. 

Released on Sept. 9, “curious/furious” is from WILLOW’s up-and-coming fifth studio album, “Coping Mechanisms,” which will come out on Sept. 23. The tune follows July’s “<maybe> it’s my fault” and last month’s “hover like a GODDESS.”

Known for tunes like “Wait a Minute!” and “Meet Me At Our Spot,” the 21-year-old artist has been involved in the music industry since her 2010 debut single, “Whip My Hair.” Since then, WILLOW has evolved into a total rockstar, as shown via her nearly 20 million listeners on Spotify and her recent performance at Lollapalooza in July. 

“curious/furious” veers away from WILLOW’s usual edgy, alternative vibes, leaning instead toward the conventional pop tonality that she’s moved away from in past years. Although it differs from the punk vibes of “maybe it’s my fault” and “hover like a GODDESS,” it stays true to her contemporary R&B roots. 

Like a slow-forming thunderstorm, the “curious/furious” commences with low volume and power. 

The tune starts off with a lone guitar riff, soon joined by a soft drum rhythm and WILLOW’s opening lyrics, “I always knew there was an order to this / The wind in the trees whispering mathematics.” 

A burst of energy occurs in the first repetition of the chorus as WILLOW’s voice and the accompanying guitar riff increase in intensity, showcasing her exposed vocals before the drumset hops back into the mix for the second reiteration of the chorus. 

Lyrics like “Getting over it now and I / Never wear a frown because life doesn’t choose” emphasize WILLOW’s upbeat perspective despite the hardships she faces in making it through life alone. Her optimism is contradictory in a sense, as she attempts to be positive while acknowledging her feelings of anger and frustration. 

As the tune enters its second verse, it reverts to its original, low-energy feel as WILLOW sings, “Shielding myself from the depths of my heart / The surface is calm, inside the chaos restarts.” Lyrics like “Don’t know what to do, my questions are endless” highlight her hesitancy in seeking the answers to satiate her curiosity.

Almost immediately, WILLOW jumps from a zero to a 10 as the instrumentals pick up in intensity and her vocals become scream-like in nature as she sings, “I don’t wanna start a fight / But you know when it gets heated, that’s just what I like.” 

The primary theme in “curious/furious” revolves around WILLOW’s shifting levels of energy, which is expressed not only by the volume of her vocals but also by the strength of the accompanying vocals. 

The tune embodies its title as the chorus repeats itself in each rendition, highlighting the curious/furious vibe as the first chorus adopts a curious, hesitant softer tone, while its repetition takes on a more upbeat tonality. 

The tune ends on a guitar solo that elaborates on the song’s primary riff and is soon accompanied by a second, harmonizing guitar. The complementary instrumentals carry the song to its end, creating a fitting conclusion to the tune’s uncharacteristically pop tune. 

All in all, “curious/furious” is a surprising yet satisfying teaser tune for WILLOW’s upcoming album. The R&B-inspired pop tune is enhanced by her lush vocals, meaningful lyrics and instrumentals that vary in their intensity. 

The song maintains its pop vibe while still embodying the artist’s R&B origins, and — along with “<maybe> it’s my fault” and “hover like a GODDESS” — it makes “Coping Mechanisms” an album to look forward to.

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