EP REVIEW: Family Drama – RØRY

There is an African proverb that states “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” It also perfectly sums up RØRY‘s new EP Family Drama, which is all about her trying to make sense of her turbulent childhood. RØRY – real name Roxanne Emery – is perhaps best known for the TikTok account ADHD Love, where she documents her life with ADHD and her relationship with her husband. But she’s also a songwriter who has written three UK Top 10 hits, and she has taken the alternative world by storm under her stage name which combines her first and last name.

The EP begins with an introduction: LOVE > BLOOD, which starts off with an acoustic guitar being played over various voices explaining that family isn’t just who you are related to. It’s an impactful and powerful start to the EP that can make people rethink what defines a family. RUNNING DNA follows in the form of a gentle acoustic song which lets RØRY‘s voice take centre stage. Her voice is beautiful, but it’s her songwriting that’s the star of the show. The song is a raw and heartbreaking one about an estranged relationship between father and daughter.

Each song on this record is like reading a very personal diary entry. FAMILY TREE is an indie rock song about the struggles of cutting family off. Whilst it might sound a bit bleak, the empowerment that triumphs in the end moves you to tears.

Despite each track having different pacing – ANTI-REPRESSANT is a fast-paced rock song about rising up from the hard times, for example, whereas hurt myself is a slow acoustic song about mental health – the overall EP feels cohesive. Each song shows a different side of RØRY, and her experiences in life. Although she does tackle her difficult childhood, she doesn’t focus on her family’s issues; she focuses on how it impacts her, not just as a child but also into her adulthood.

ALTERNATIVE starts off with a raw spoken word from RØRY about how there has to be an alternative version of herself somewhere. The rest of the song is a heartbreaking track about how she hopes that the alternative version of herself has a happy childhood. It is one of the rawest songs on the EP. After this, the record ends with the apology i’ll never receive, which is a slow-paced acoustic song about never getting an apology from an estranged family member. It could have been easy for the song to end on an angry note, but it ends on one of forgiveness and moving on.

Overall, Family Drama is a raw, heartbreaking and powerful EP. RØRY is an extremely talented singer with a voice that ensnares you from the first song to the last. However, it’s her songwriting that is most impressive. She manages to make you cry at what she has had to go through, but also cheer at the work that she has done to untangle her childhood. Furthermore, whilst the songs do give details about her upbringing, she also leaves it vague enough for the listener to apply to their own life if they have to. This EP is should be required listening and firmly cements RØRY as a name to watch.

Rating: 9/10

Family Drama is set for release on October 6th via self-release.

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