Let’s get one thing straight: Susi Pagel isn’t here to blend in. Belfast’s reigning pink pop princess has just unleashed an EP that’s as chaotic, cathartic, and unapologetically dramatic as a glitter-fuelled meltdown. It’s the musical equivalent of crying in the bathroom at a party, then walking out and owning the dance floor like it’s your stage.
From supporting LA rockers Set It Off to making her festival debut at Electric Picnic 2023, her sound has been described as ”something no one else is doing in Northern Ireland” by BBC Introducing as she merges pop, rock and metal into one hyper genre.
While her debut EP consists of only three songs, she tells us exactly who she is in those 10 minutes. Susi Pagel is an ode to contradictions. Her aesthetic is drenched in pastel hues, her voice is dreamy and bright, and all this is cut through with screaming guitars and huge drums. And this is most represented in her opening title, ’S.T.R.E.S.S.E.D.’
The EP as a whole is a study in frustration – frustration with toxic relationships, societal expectations, and sometimes even yourself. For example, Anything like U is both a declaration and a refusal to be defined by past heartbreak, capturing the messy highs and lows of emotional turmoil. The relief that comes from leaving a negative relationship and realising that you deserve better but also the realisation that you let someone treat you like that to begin with.
The last song, ‘Scream,’ encapsulates the desperation of feeling invisible or ignored, a theme reinforced by the EP’s title. How there is only so much mistreatment one person can take before they break – and the final chorus bodies this as she lets out her voice. Her voice shifts from controlled melodies to unrestrained intensity, echoing the rawness of bands like Bring Me The Horizon and early Evanescence.
Despite the heavy themes, the EP is ultimately empowering. Each track balances softer, introspective moments with explosive, high-energy choruses, creating a consistent build-up of tension and release. Like I said, an ode to contradictions. This EP is for every person who’s ever been told you’re too much. Good, you should be.
Lean into the chaos – Susi certainly has.
