Come "Self Medicate" with Courtney Paige Nelson

Calling Courtney Paige Nelson "Pop" seems like a fitting label at first, however, if you take a look at her catalog, you'll quickly notice her songs come in many hues and shades, speaking to a diverse and flexible sound that is never content to just roost in one or two qualities, but actively seeks out fresh new aesthetic avenues to explore and implicate. Today’s song definitely shows that.

Courtney Paige Nelson first sprung into the public conscious not through music, but through the world of reality TV, more specifically 2017s Americas Next Top Model, Cycle 23, where she came out in 4th place. The attention she received afforded her an amazing opportunity to show the world that beyond the beautiful face, there was a talented, creative artist with a passion for music that eagerly wanted to be heard. Her first EP debuted in May this year, and as she prepares a 2nd EP set for release on February 2022, we thought it was high time she showed up on the pages of dear old RIVAL magazine.

With her newest single, it's left evidently clear that reinvention and self-innovation come naturally for Courtney, much like you would say of Iconic mega-stars like Madonna. "Self Medicate" is a curious and very rare blend of Electro-pop and Pop-Rock the likes of which seem very consequential with the current environment of music, even, I can't recall when I last heard something quite like her take on it; It's nothing “new”, but it is still very original and very well executed, and that is the essence of innovation.

In the face of it "Self medicate" is a new direction in sound for Courtney Paige Nelson, but it is also consequential with what I've come to expect of the L.A-Based San Franciscan in terms of tone and attitude. The single is adventurous, unapologetic, wild, and kick-ass, this is something that I've always heard in Courtney's singing but it's the first time I've felt that the musical backdrop to her voice really echoes that aspect of hers.

The general attitude and feel of the song belie its origin and deeper themes. At its core, "Self Medicate" is Courtney's rebuttal to the pressures of Image and beauty standards of the L.A. scene that she has to navigate as a socially-anxious person " This song represents the inner thoughts I have when I go out to parties and social situations when I really just want to sleep all day because my mental health isn't up to par. " She has said, allowing some of that inner struggle to come through as the deeper kernel of emotional leverage and meaning underneath the audacious rhythms and harmonies.

Photoshoot credits:

•Creative Direction: Courtney Paige Nelson

•Photographer: Joyce Charat-@joycevisuals

•Stylist: Renee Old-@hot_cheeetah

•Hair: Shelly Cross- @florahair

•Makeup: Kelsie Gygi- @gygi._

•Jewelry: Alligator Jesus

MEET THE AUTHOR

Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born raised and based. 

I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant  ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work . Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.