McCall Announces Debut LP '...to be a dream...'

Today, LA-based alt-pop singer-songwriter, McCall, announces her dynamic, evolutionary debut LP, ...to be a dream... due out July 15, and available for pre-order now, along with its new single and self-directed video, "Perfect Timing" out everywhere now. The track finds McCall accepting a relationship coming to its natural end as it transforms into an explosive, pop-filled sigh of relief. Though bittersweet, this conclusion is ultimately peaceful and joyous, allowing both people to leave as whole people rather than parts of themselves.

Ones To Watch, who debuted the video, says, "this budding creative has all the attributes that make her an enviable tour de force to watch, including directing and editing the video for her latest single,"Perfect Timing'" adding, "With each new iridescent gem that rising artist McCall drops, our song crush for the LA-based alt-pop artist continues to deepen."

With over 10M streams across platforms and placements on Spotify's Fresh Finds, and an interview with Ones To Watch, who wrote that the most remarkable attribute of the rising star's previous EP, On Self Loathing, is, "its ability to discuss mental health while avoiding cliche, preachiness or melodrama," and that although there are elements of hyper-pop, it is "grounded, using eccentricities of the sub-genre without any trace of its ridiculousness." Tastemakers from UPROXX to EARMILK to Consequence have been captivated by McCall's imaginative, poignant artistry. American Songwriter described McCall's "Disaster," as a track that powerfully builds and that songs like this, "push and propel. They pierce you and you aren't even sure why or how. Suddenly, the work crescendos and your heart is racing. It's a rush that hits before you even knew it was nearby." With a feature on NPR Music's New Music Friday playlist on her resume, McCall has consistently proved herself to be a true force-making her one of the most compelling indie-pop musicians around right now.

Now, in 2022, McCall has only continued to evolve with her forthcoming debut LP. A gritty yet ethereal coming of age project, ...to be a dream... finds McCall coming to terms with growing up and discovering who she is and who she'd like to be. Over eight tracks, the musician takes an honest look at the relationships in her life and encourages herself to let go of any negativity and resentment she might be harboring. McCall says, "The album follows themes of strained relationships between friends, family, and partners. I realized that my self-hatred (as detailed on previous EP, 'On Self Loathing') did not exist in a vacuum. Because I'm exceptionally hard on myself, it felt natural to set rigorous standards for the people in my life as well. I was quick to hurt someone's feelings under the guise of "tough love."

It was in this moment McCall began to recognize patterns and decide that she wanted to make a change and it started with writing. McCall continues, Upon noticing this, I was then met with a feedback loop: "You are a bitter person and that's why people treat you poorly" and/or "People treat you poorly and that justifies your being a bitter person." I used the writing of these songs to try to explain both sides of the feedback loop to myself so I could see it clearly. Although it didn't lead to the conclusion of who committed the original sin, it did help me release a lot of resentment that I wasn't aware I was grasping onto so tightly."

"Perfect Timing," redefines what a breakup anthem might sound like. It doesn't leave one feeling down or lost-rather, it proudly accepts reality, wrapped in a hopeful, upbeat energy. McCall explains, "This song is about accepting the end of a relationship without finding reasons to hate the other person. The verses document bittersweet memories that are painful to think about in the midst of a break-up, but the chorus explodes into this joyous cacophony of sound and talks about the confidence and relief that comes when you realize you're going to be okay regardless."

The music video, directed by McCall herself, features McCall's own editing and styling as she dons all white and clown makeup, bouncing between shots of dancing in the street and dancing against an all-white backdrop. As it evokes confidence and freedom, the visual watches McCall break free from a destructive in the pursuit to discover more of herself.

Creating the visual, McCall explains that she had never felt more confident being both the director and editor, and it quickly became the most fulfilling video she has ever worked on. Providing more context for its storyline, McCall adds, "'Perfect Timing' is the third in a four part story line based around our anti-hero, the Mime. The Mime is in constant pursuit of an idealized version of herself, represented by the Starlet, and finally realizes in this video that she'll never become 'perfect.'"

Through the track and its video, McCall discovers the bright side of a break-up, the part where one feels more free than ever before. "Although the song is about a break-up, it feels so joyous. I wanted the video to be as high energy and joyful as possible, because sometimes break-ups are a good thing. In my case, it gave me the space to explore my sexuality, go to therapy, and heal parts of myself I'd been ignoring for the sake of the relationship I was in."

With "Perfect Timing," out everywhere now, McCall makes peace with the end of a relationship to find freedom within herself. Due out July 15, ...to be a dream..., the eight track debut LP available for pre-order now, allows McCall to explore her past, present and future to ultimately better herself as she mends broken relationships-and she's only just getting started. Connect with the rising musician on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube and stay tuned for much more to come.

Watch the new music video here:

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