Mya Angelique’s ‘paper girls’ - The Coming-of-Age Soundtrack We’ve Been Waiting For

Mya Angelique’s debut EP paper girls isn’t just a collection of songs — it’s a confessional, a scrapbook, and a mirror all rolled into one. In just seven tracks, the San Juan-born, Berklee-trained singer-songwriter invites us into a raw, glitter-dusted world of teenage girlhood, where heartbreak is inevitable, identity is fragile, and perfection is a costume worn too tightly. It’s vulnerable, it’s loud in its quiet moments, and it feels like the soundtrack to a movie you’ve lived through — or wish you had.

From the aching opener “sixteen,” which captures the desperation to fit in, to the wistful closer “glitter,” which aches with the pressure of comparison, Mya Angelique proves that vulnerability is her superpower. The title track “paper girls” is particularly haunting — a minimalist, emotionally charged unraveling of perfectionism that stands as the emotional centerpiece of the EP. Meanwhile, “quick-brush” offers a soft meditation on eroded self-worth, made all the more heartbreaking by its subtle melodic structure.

Mya’s storytelling channels the emotional depth of Gracie Abrams, the melodic instincts of Olivia Rodrigo, and the sharp self-awareness of Maisie Peters — but her voice is entirely her own. Tracks like “teenage girl nationality” mix humor with heartbreak, showing just how fluent she is in the contradictions of girlhood. And “the boy in the band” adds a cheeky charm to the mix, proving that Mya doesn’t just write sadness well — she writes joy, embarrassment, and infatuation just as vividly.

What makes paper girls so captivating is how it feels both universal and deeply personal. Written mostly when Mya was just 15, the EP doesn’t try to glamorize adolescence — it captures the messy, tender beauty of it. Her lyrics are the kind you want to underline, and her melodies stay in your head long after the last note fades. Every track feels handcrafted, layered with emotion and memory.

With paper girls, Mya Angelique has crafted a debut that’s as emotionally intelligent as it is musically sharp. It’s rare to hear someone so young sound this honest, this composed, and this ready for the world. If this EP is the start, the rest of Mya’s story promises to be a masterpiece in the making.

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