The name Julia Michaels probably sounds familiar because her breakout single “Issues” was stuck in your head for the greater half of 2017.

Despite releasing a few other singles and an EP entitled “Nervous System” in 2017, Michaels has stayed somewhat off the radar in 2018 and 2019.

Her new release “Inner Monologue Part 1” sheds some light on where Michaels has been and what she’s been dealing with. The 6 track EP was released in January and provides a raw and honest look at topics like dating with anxiety and self-sabotage.

In a surprising feature Michaels and her long-time friend Selena Gomez perform a duet. “Anxiety” talks about the struggles of opening up to those closest to you about your mental illness.

The lyrics “I’ve been told I could take something to fix it, I wish it was that simple,” hit especially close to home after Selena has opened up about her struggles with her mental health and rehabilitation.

“Into You” allows Michaels to open up about a breakup in which she and her ex have way too much in common, including their friends. The entire EP is so relatable it almost feels like Michaels took a long look at your diary before heading into the studio.

The EP is a loving reminder to anyone going through a heartbreak that sure, you might not be dying, but it’s still a unique pain to go through. “Happy” is Michaels’ attempt at making sense of her self destructive tendencies and find a way to just get things back to normal, whatever normal might be. It’s the best song on the album by far and I recommend listening to it a thousand times in a row.

In another surprising but adorable feature, Niall Horan makes an appearance. I swear Michaels was trying to make every 2000’s Disney Channel fangirl’s dreams come true on this EP. It’s called “What a Time” and it’s a really sweet song.

“Apple” is another track that is just plain sweet. There’s a lot ukulele.

“Deep” reminds me the most of her last EP. It’s fun and catchy, but it still has that darkness to it.

Michaels has a really distinct voice. It’s weirdly calming and sweet, but rugged at the same time. She’s written songs for Justin Bieber and Britney Spears, and if that’s not impressive I really don’t know what is. In general, she just seems like a really cool girl and this EP confirmed it for me.

It’s becoming more and more important to talk about mental health, and it’s beyond inspiring to see someone who’s only 25 doing it so confidently. The EP is a perfect combination of an artist telling their own story while still being relatable to their fans.

Rate: 5/5 stars