Caroline Romano Talks Feeling Like the Odd One Out and Her Debut Album Oddities and Prodigies
We've been following Caroline Romano's exciting musical career for years, and we couldn't be more enchanted by her debut LP, Oddities and Prodigies.
The album is out today, Feb. 25, and is the culmination of Caroline's musical odyssey so far, showing her versatility with tracks ranging from dreamy ballads to upbeat pop-punk anthems. Still, every track manages to feel quintessentially Caroline, and that's what we love most about it.
We got the chance to catch up with Caroline to get her insights on Oddities and Prodigies and what it means to her. Keep reading to find out what she revealed to us, and click HERE to stream it.
Sweety High: What does the album Oddities and Prodigies mean to you? Why did that title song, and those two words, feel like the perfect encapsulation of this collection of tracks?
Caroline Romano: "Oddities and prodigies" is my life motto. I truly don't think you can have one without the other. Those three words felt like the perfect synopsis of the way I see the world. A lot of this album is about growing up and figuring out who you are. For so many years, I felt like an oddity. I felt out of place and I hated anything about me that made me different. However, the beautiful thing about growing up is realizing just how many of the best people in life are the weirdest, too. It's one of the most important messages I can pass on.
(Photo credit: Justin Key)
SH: What do you feel are the overarching themes of the album? What kind of feeling do you hope fans take away from it?
CR: A lot of this album is about longing. It's longing for love, for dreams to play out. It's longing to feel understood, and to find peace with who you are. It's angsty in the way most adolescents are, and its obnoxiously dramatic at parts. I hope this album finds the people I've been looking for my entire life, and I hope it makes them feel understood. Growing up is something we all do together, and none of us know what's going on. However, I think that's the pretty part.
SH: How excited are you to release your debut LP? How do you feel that these songs represent you and where you are in life right now?
CR: I am beyond excited. I really can't find the right words to describe how I feel about these songs finally coming out. I've dreamt of releasing an album since I was in middle school, and its surreal to think that that day is finally here. I've poured every bit of me into these songs. I think they represent me and where I am in my life currently because there's an eagerness and an anxiety to each of them. I think restlessness is a good word for it. This album is the starting line, and each song is charged with a certain sort of energy that's ready to go. I don't know how far I'll make it, but I'm aiming for the finish line.
(Photo credit: Justin Key)
SH: Do you have a favorite song on the album? Which one, and why?
CR: I think my favorite song on the album is probably "Leaving Wednesday." A lot of people are surprised when I tell them it's my favorite because of how simple it is. I don't know why, but to me that song represents the whole album in two minutes and 46 seconds. I wrote it by myself in my childhood bedroom, and l love the line "I hope there's more to what I am than just my plans."
SH: How do you feel you've evolved as an artist and songwriter over the years?
CR: I feel like I've evolved as an artist and a songwriter because I've lived more life. A really important part of being a good musician is just living. It's helped me grow in confidence, in experience, in love, and everything in between. It's caused time to pass, which has given me time to persevere and prove to myself that I can. I've just lived.
SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
CR: Thank you so much for your time and even more importantly for listening! Oddities and Prodigies comes out Feb. 25, and I hope you connect with it as much as I do.
(Photo credit: Justin Key)
If you loved our interview with Caroline, you'll also want to click HERE to read our interview with Mckenna Grace on her new track, "do all my friends hate me?"