Following the success of her earlier single Lucky Stars, the effortlessly cool Mikaela Cougar is back with See Straight. Mikaela Cougar is a free spirit from West Auckland’s black sand beaches whose music reflects the eerie beauty of her environment. 

Cougar wrote See Straight at a time when she felt “alone and helpless in this big world”. She surrounded her lyrics with “sounds that reflected her yearning for support and belonging”. The track begins with an eerie repetition of the title “can’t see straight”. She uses her natural affinity for words to describe herself as “honey dipped… but I don’t feel like it”. She uses the metaphor of “getting dusty on (a) shelf” to capture a sense of feeling left behind. This poetic lyricism makes the song otherworldly, and despite the vulnerable nature of the subject matter the See Straight somehow feels empowering.

The production of See Straight is creative – the use of a combination of synths, backing vocals and strings give the track a building, foreboding feel. See Straight is heading towards the swelling bridge, which almost becomes overwhelming. This moment is meant to provide a “glimmer of hope” as it dissipates into a final chorus. Just as the intensity of the song has passed, so too will the space Cougar was in when she wrote it.

See Straight is accompanied by a self directed and edited music video showcasing beautiful New Zealand beaches and retro indoor scenes. The music video is artfully paced to compliment and emphasise emotional points in the music. 

For those of you (me) who’ve fallen in love with this up and coming artist, I have good news. Cougar is releasing not only a third single, but a full EP later this year. Keep up with her on Instagram and Facebook.