Picture Perfect
Little Simz
By Natalie Silver
True story: the first time I heard “Picture Perfect” by Little Simz, my first thought was, “Coachella.”
“Wonderland is amazing, ain't it? (Ain't it?)
Been partying for days on the same shit (Same shit)
Never mind who I came with
Man I never ever want to leave, let me stay lit
Let me stay”
It’s the millennial prophecy, rapped by hands-down the hottest female rapper out of the UK, in a British accent so thick it puts Noel Gallagher to shame. Simz’ delivery is clean, fast and hard, yet she still has such an effortless and rich vocal timbre that even when she’s spitting fire she somehow sounds melodic.
The up-tempo and jazzy track produced by Rascal has a celebratory and anthemic feel. Written in the second person to herself, Little Simz channels the voice of a third-party psychedelic guru. In other words, she raps the part of the Mad Hatter speaking to the subject of the abstract, removed Little Simz. Structurally and narratively, this track is experimental and weird, a vibe that is paralleled in its musical makeup, which features a duel between a saxophone and soft keyboard, and a relentless bass track that keeps the song hypnotic on a sonic level. As a listener, it’s impossible to not feel like you’re venturing into some weird shit with her.
The lyrics of “Picture Perfect” are referenced in the title of the record it appears on, her sophomore studio collection, Stillness in Wonderland (2016), which is a concept album that loosely follows the story of Alice In Wonderland. “Picture Perfect” is the seventh track—mid-story—that takes a break from the broodier and more introspective elements of the album’s serial arc and basically says “Yeah, I’m in Wonderland, let’s fucking party.” Tell me that’s not Coachella in a nutshell.
Watch the trippy, cartoony music video for this song, or have a trip of your own … live…on the Saturday of each Coachella weekend.
Down the rabbit hole you go.