By Michaela Maxey

Alice Merton is the millennial we’ve all been waiting for, and it was worth the wait to get the masterpiece that is her debut album Mint. This album advocates for living life the way you want to, not how you should. But more than anything, this album explores Merton’s personal life as she was constantly moving due to her father’s job (and I’m talking 12 times in 25 years). So it is no surprise that she became an expert at saying goodbye and dealing with this feeling of loss.

“Honeymoon Heartbreak” is emotionally driven and is the only slow song on this album. This song interestingly starts with no sound until about seven seconds into the song. It’s almost a bit unnerving, and I’m checking to make sure I actually hit play. Then, only her voice. No loud crash of drums or strums of guitar, rather a soft croon that draws me in as she recounts the story of a relationship gone sour. It isn’t until about fifty seconds into the song that the guitar and drums join in, all working in harmony with Merton’s wide pitch range that seamlessly transitions between high and low notes. As she sings, “My homeless heart is still hoping/my homeless heart is still holding you”, I realize that although this recounts a relationship, it also works like “Homesick” where her heart is ‘homeless’ as she longs for the people/person she had to leave behind. As she sings, “You let me go, my honeymoon heartbreak” I can’t help but tear up, why would he let her go? Why would he let her leave?!

It’s feelings like these that make Mint so great as although it’s personal, it’s so relatable. We can listen to “Honeymoon Heartbreak” and think of our first love, but for Merton this heartbreak has happened ten-fold as she learned how to say goodbye all too well.