Victoria Anthony Gives Into Infatuation and Angst With ‘Can’t Hold Back’
17-year-old singer-songwriter Victoria Anthony is best known for her catchy tunes and incisive lyrics, capturing the angst of being a teenager and growing up to perfection, and "Can't Hold Back" may be our favorite track yet.
With a pop-punk edge and driven with a pulsing bass riff straight out of the '90s, "Can't Hold Back" tackles the sensation of a crush that spirals wildly out of control and all the ways that infatuation can take over every aspect of your life. Its release comes with the announcement of Victoria's sophomore album, New Disaster, out May 12. New Disaster will further share Victoria's coming-of-age story and all of the highs and lows that can entail. She's always had a knack for bringing us back to our own teenage years with sometimes painful accuracy, and ahead of today's release, we had the chance to catch up with Victoria to learn more about "Can't Hold Back" and what it means to her.
The Story Behind 'Can't Hold Back'
Victoria Anthony: I was infatuated with a guy. We talked a bit and ran in the same circles, but never dated. I liked him but he was out of my reach. We would be hot and cold, and it drove me crazy—so crazy, I wrote "Can't Hold Back." Lines like "I'm losing it," "I'm not a stalker, but I know just where you live," and "You love that I'm a maniac, I love the way we're gonna crash," embody that on-the-edge feeling that I was writing about, desperate for attention but aware of its temporary nature.
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What 'Can't Hold Back' Means
VA: "Can't Hold Back" carries a lot of passion and angst. I want my listeners to hear this song and let themselves really feel. I want them to embrace their crazy, fun, over-the-top feelings about whoever they like. Being young and falling for people is such an amusing time in our lives, and we should make the most of it!
(Photo credit: Oscar Blair)
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Victoria's Favorite Lyric
VA: Surface level, I love "I'm not a stalker but I know just where you live," because I think it's hilarious. On a deeper note, I love the lyrics bridge. "My mind's been racing with seven months of false belief … I'm stuck craving the wild way you looked at me." The rest of the song has an upbeat, unhinged, careless nature to it, but the bridge reflects on the deeper emotional pain that a hot and cold non-relationship can cause. Once the excitement has run its course, nothing real is left, and it's time to move on.
('Can't Hold Back' via Victoria Anthony Music Inc.)
Want to dig deeper into Victoria's discography? Click HERE for her breakdown of the single "Stupid Kid."