Still fresh on the soft-pop scene, Prima Queen have asserted their sonic grandeur with their debut album, ‘The Prize’. Set for release on 25th April 2025 via Submarine Cat Records, the record hints at a band ready to carve their own path in the soft-pop sphere.
From the punchy, confidence-inducing “Oats (Ain’t Gonna Beg)” to the introspective, self-reflective “Ugly”, the debut’s singles are a standout on an eclectic tracklist, underscoring the band’s growing fanbase, which boasts over 60,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
Drawing upon their musical contemporaries such as Alvvays, Julia Jacklin, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, the duo (composed of best friends Louise MacPhail and Kristin McFadden) join forces to create something indulgently ethereal.
Kicking off with the sonically distorted intro, “Clickbait”, before sliding into the second track, “Mexico,” it’s immediately made clear that the album is one of solemnity, love, and loss, perhaps not entirely in sync with the kitsch, sugary-sweet, fun-loving fashion sported by the pair. Slapping you in the face with confronting lyrics tied up with dreams of death (“I dreamt last night I died and you came to my funeral / You wore a cheap suit and tie that didn’t quite fit right”) before lines of lost dreams and promises (“You told me we could move to Mexico”), the cut comes as one of the most raw and gut-wrenching on the record, proving their knack at on-the-nose lyrics.
The title track “The Prize” comes up next, ever so slightly shaking up the tonal sorrow of the previous track. Lighthearted, reassuring, and a great breakup track (“Did you forget you’re a diamond?” / “You dodged a bullet with his bullshit”), the track shows another perspective on the themes of lost love, imparting a voice of wisdom and consolation in the form of a pep-talk—one that is sure to capture the hearts of anyone reconciling with a similar series of events.
This theme of self-empowerment in the face of mistreatment continues down the track list, though briefly broken up by the more simplistic “Flying Ant Day” that adds a sense of summer-drenched nostalgia to an album otherwise centred around themes of regret and unfavourable memories.
As the tracklist unfolds, culminating in the self-affirming “Sunshine Song” and the more low-spirited “More Credit”, it becomes clear that, much like the twists and turns of romantic hardships and relationship endings, nothing is ever linear. But this isn’t necessarily an unwelcome feature of the record.
With no clear resolution or moment of catharsis, this album of lingering heartache and unresolved resentment finds Prima Queen embracing their role as a wholly relatable voice in a world driven by the fleeting, often distorted narratives of love and loss within popular media.
For a debut, ‘The Prize’ does exactly what you’d hope, presenting the duo in an authentically endearing light and compelling you to keep an eye on what promises to be a breakthrough year for them.
