“You Like to Play with Fire” by Tea Janee excels in creating that familiarly angsty, pop-punk atmosphere of irreverence. Her lyrics are digestible yet clever, and her musical choices complement the message quite flawlessly. If you’re ever looking for a song to angrily scream along to, Tea Janee has got your back.
The most notable and curiously pleasant part of this track is the shouted vocals, which serve as the hook and the intro to the song. It’s difficult, as a songwriter or producer, to get the perfect “gang-vocal” effect, but this song nails it. Not only is the sound of these moments edited and layered perfectly, but the word choice makes the yelling smooth, natural, and unobtrusive.
Lyrically, Tea uses a lot of juxtaposition to emphasize the love/hate relationship between herself and the person on the receiving end of this song. “I start drinking when you say I’ve had too many” or “Like to play the games, but Imma play them better,” are examples of lyrics that portray this provocative chaos. It’s not too abstract or literal. It rides the line between the two with poetic, approachable ease.
The production and musical content traverse the worlds of pop and rock, taking a little inspiration from each. The guitar and drums are so distinctly rock n’ roll, while the melody choices live more in the pop realm. Tea’s vocals have a clearness and power to them that could go either way, thusly tying together this fun little amalgamation of genres.
Be sure to give Tea Janee a listen! Her music is pretty well-suited for any music lover, especially if you’ve ever loved Paramore or Olivia Rodrigo.
Written by Alyce lindberg
