Artist Spotlight: Caroline Romano Muses About Memories, Life Changes, and How Music is Like Oxygen
At just 21 years old, Caroline Romano is no stranger to the bustling American alt-pop scene. Since 2017, the artist has released an array of self-written songs that reflect her life as a young woman. Her music—intimate, vulnerable, yet also optimistic—has impressed listeners across the country. With her captivating voice and strong word-crafting, Caroline has obtained more than eight million streams across platforms and opened for various singers, including Shawn Mendes.
This year alone, she released her debut album, Oddities & Prodigies, and five singles. “Me After September,” revealed on November 4, is the newest addition to her discography. To celebrate this new project, EnVi conversed with Caroline over email about her latest single, how music helps her heal, and her future plans.
Clinging to Spring
In “Me After September,” Caroline explores the fear of moving on after a failed romance. “I wrote ‘Me After September’ about someone I fell for earlier this year,” she explained, having written the song alongside John Townsend and Zach Smith. “When things ended, I had this fear that he was going to move forward and forget about me while I just wanted to stay in summer, and heartbreak, and things that reminded me of him.” This emotion is immortalized in the song’s cover: a broken swing in Nashville’s Centennial Park, wrapped in yellow caution tape. Taken by the singer herself, she found the image intriguing as she once sat there with her old lover.
Described as a “propulsive alt-pop ballad,” “Me After September” begins with somber guitar strums. In September—Caroline’s birth month—the narrator turns older, but her heart is still stuck in her past memories. She then proclaims her decision to remain in the past and relive her old memories. Even if she tries moving forward, her efforts will be in vain as she still has her ex-lover in mind. This is apparent in the chorus, where Caroline belts out how difficult it is to leave things behind.Bass and synths reminiscent of the melancholic pop-punk hits from the early aughts further accentuate the message of “Me After September.”
Ultimately, writing the song has helped Caroline address her own feelings. “When I write about something, that makes it final in some way for me. I think writing about not being able to move on, but wanting to and realizing I needed to, that was eye-opening,” she admitted. The line “newly old things I refuse to leave forgotten” in the chorus is particularly cathartic for Caroline since it mirrors her attempt to keep the past alive. Now, she can safely say that she’s moved on, and the track is part of “the memories from warmer months.”
Like Oxygen
Singing and songwriting have become Caroline’s second nature. She found singing to be her go-to emotional outlet as a shy and quiet kid. Coupled with a guitar she received at nine years old and journaling activities in middle school, she began writing her own songs. At thirteen, she traveled to Nashville from her hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi to perform her self-composed song. After performing, Caroline came to the realization that she wanted to make music for a living. Thus, in 2017, she debuted with “Masterpiece,” an electronic pop track, featuring Jacob Whitesides.
Caroline’s discography offers a diverse range of genres. It spans from the EDM-imbued, R3HAB-remixed “I Still Remember” to the stripped-down “Stream of Consciousness.” Recently, her music leans towards alternative pop, as the genre allows her to craft stories through the lyrics. Her debut album, Oddities & Prodigies (2022), is laden with songs in the genre as well as punk-inspired tracks. That said, Caroline isn’t the strictest with genres, and she’s open to trying new sounds. Inspired by Taylor Swift and folk artist Noah Kahan’s music and lyricism, she wishes to create a folk album one day.
At its core, music is like oxygen to Caroline—life wouldn’t be possible for her without it. She cited music as her time-to-time savior from her negative thoughts. Listening to and writing music also helped her discover who she is as a person and an artist. With writing lyrics in particular, Caroline is able to express her thoughts and emotions; this is why it’s the most important part of songwriting for her. Music allows Caroline to achieve her dreams, and with the release of her first album earlier this year, she has crossed an item off of her lifetime wishlist.
Caroline describes her music as “melancholy, introspective, and hopeful.” With the authenticity and vulnerability in her music, she hopes to pique the interest of many listeners. To her, being authentic and vulnerable means being honest with everything, even to the point of exposing the sides of herself that she’s sure no one would like. “I don’t always know what I’m doing, but I know that I love writing music more than anything else,” she said.
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
“Me After September” is all about memories and changes, so EnVi asked Caroline about the changes in her life. Compared to last year, she recognized her growth in music and interpersonal relationships. “I’m writing music I’m more proud of than I’ve ever been,” she explained. “I feel like I’m working with people who understand my brain and what I want to say, and that’s a beautiful feeling.” Indeed, Caroline is currently creating more music with established songwriters and producers, like Mikal Blue, who has worked with Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz, and Matthew Wilder, who has partnered up with Christina Aguilera and Miley Cyrus in the past.
Caroline aims for a tour at some point in her career. In the meantime, her next stop is Nashville’s Eastside Bowl on November 30, where she will perform “Me After September live for the first time. The artist also shared that new music will come sooner than one may have expected. “I’m currently working on an EP set for release early next year!” she said. “I’m really excited for it and where it sits conceptually and sonically.”
To keep up with Caroline, follow her on TikTok and Instagram! Her music is available on YouTube and Spotify.
Looking for talented musicians on the rise? Check out our previous artist spotlight on Koven Wei here.
