Title: Eyelids
Artist: Vanity
Album: TBA
Genre: Electronic Rock/Industrial
Label: Kaleidoscope Records

Vanity returns with her first new piece of new music since 2014's Odyssey, an album created in collaboration with mISTER_b which featured several songs of raunchy, sexually suggestive lyrics with hard-hitting EDM beats that the producer is well known for. While the record received only moderate success and mixed reviews, the pop icon was able to go on a sellout world tour. Since then, Vanity has gone into a "blackout", a process that the singer found crucial to the creation of her twelfth studio album, even inspiring this new single of hers. "I think it's important we all have a chance to step away from the world when we can. Going into a blackout was very important for me as an artist, it's a period of time spent in total darkness, no distractions or interaction with other living creatures. It's an opportunity to cleanse your mind and vision. Sometimes you can become so much more enlightened in the dark, without even seeing anything, everything becomes clearer. That's what inspired this song and I wanted to share this art form with my fans."

Speaking more about what's to be expected from her upcoming album, Vanity adds, "The last album really followed the concept of sexuality, freedom of expression and self discovery. I feel like it really divided my fan base though, because the lyrical themes weren't for everyone. Which is okay, it's important to make sure strong opinions are formed on your music, if it evokes a feeling deep within you, then it's clearly made an impact. This time round though, I wanted the album to be a little less scripted and untamed, more wild and broad. There's a variety of different styles and lyrics that are across the board. I feel it was important to begin this journey into the new album with the first song I created, where it all stated, showing how my mind adapted to creating new material."

Pop Matters Review

While Vanity has gone into more dark electronic sounds in the past, "Eyelids" shows the bizarre pop star at her most extreme yet, showing a side to her that her fans have never seen in her music. Though it's not a surprise based on Vanity's unexpected antics, it's a great moment to see her as an artist delivering something as wild as we all knew she was capable of. In the current musical landscape, "Eyelids" really doesn't fit anywhere and sticks out like a sore thumb, which is both a highlight and its biggest downfall, because pop radio isn't going to touch this. But judging Vanity's recent releases, she no longer holds a desire to be a pop star, it's a 'been there, done that' situation for the singer. While she's never been your cookie-cutter manufactured artist, she's certainly put out mainstream, melodic music that radio would lap up, which "Eyelids" is anything but. The song features wild, untamed vocals from Vanity, pairing with a wall of electronic noise that runs throughout the song. While there's gentle breaks in the track amid all the chaos, it's only an opportunity to build things back to the song's explosive nature, crashing to the forefront even harder than before.

Vocally, this is one of Vanity's most experimental, extreme songs to date, her vocals are front and center alongside the powerful, stabbing electro that sweeps in and out of the track with little warning. Her voice is brutal, harsh and even strained at some points in the song, only adding to the dark, eccentric vibe of the song. "Put me in a permanent dark" Vanity declares in the track's opening, her voice urgent and clear, instantly commanding the attention of the listener. Later in the song's wild, noisy chorus, Vanity delivers the lyrics in near screams, "Stab out my vision / Like shutting off the television". Not a way to win over fans of the blind community, VanVan.

Overall, the song is an unexpected, but welcome addition to Vanity's discography, moving her sound further away from standard pop music and cementing her unique brand of impactful, unique electronic music. Vanity's lyrics have been difficult to relate to over the past few records, and this one is no different, because let's face it, we don't all hibernate in darkness for periods of time and quite frankly, we can't afford to. But for Vanity's loyal fan base, this will no doubt be welcome with open arms after a 15 month musical drought.