I once heard the phrase, “When the stars are shining, it means someone needs them…” that words may perfectly capture what drew Christina Sikora to the stage. Christina Sikora is a bold heroine of the music scene who broke out of the shadows of New Jersey into the bright lights. This twenty-year-old singer and songwriter radiates a fire that has absorbed the drama of her early adult years. She grew up in an atmosphere of individuality, started writing her first songs as a young girl, and by fourteen was already performing on New York stages. Christina’s music combines pop rock and pop-punk with a hint of ’80s vintage,” which, like a bold swipe of red lipstick on a mirror, adds a hint of retro chic to her style.
Photo by @xtinasikora
Christina’s new album, “twenty something,” resembles a musical chronicle of the emotions all twenty-somethings face as they try to figure out what to do with this adult life. It raises questions that usually echo only in the solitude of a new apartment: what to do after graduation, how to handle the temptations of a big city, where to even search for oneself when there’s no clear direction. This album is about living through questions.
The album begins with “i’d hate me too,” a track the singer credits as the inspiration for the entire record. Its melodies and rhythm tune listeners to a vibe of raw honesty, and the catchy chorus, combined with smooth percussion and soft vocal delivery, becomes an element that can easily linger in the mind for a long time. Co-written with Cole Miracle, “i’d hate me too” took off on TikTok, picked up by a new army of fans, and has all the makings of a hit.
The second track, “seeing stars”, unfolds a melancholic yet passionate narrative, searching for meaning in a world that feels overwhelming and hollow. Filled with lyrical haze and relatable attempts to resist temptation, “seeing stars”, has already racked up more than 3.5 million streams.
I like how “ur dead” opens with dark guitars, creating a sense of solitude. The slow, melancholic sound gradually intensifies, adding dynamic layers to the track, while the stylish commercial vocals, filled with inner doubts, take on more passionate and demanding tones.
Photo by @xtinasikora
When the title track ‘twenty something’ takes the stage, Christina’s vocals sound more assured, and the arrangement seems to break through the night and darkness toward the light.
The songs on the album are full of emotional breakdowns and passion. They’re sincere, bare, sometimes shadowed, but always honest. Like life itself, they range from tender warmth to inevitable pain. For instance, the track “dead plants” pulls listeners into an endless world where there’s a shortage of air, and the melodies envelop in a haze. Meanwhile,” honest” feels even more fragile, like cracked ground underfoot, embodying the awareness of helplessness before the world. Beneath its seemingly light execution lies a storm of emotions and uncertainty.
In “i’m just scared,” the album’s final track, the lyrics resonate with such strength and boldness that it seems difficult to gather one’s emotions alone. The beginning sounds muted: there’s hesitation in the voice, an emptiness sliding between tears and laughter. But in the chorus, a faint ray of hope appears almost imperceptibly, reminding us that “maybe it’s not all that bad.” The slow tempo accentuates the inner struggle, creating space for vocals that embrace vulnerability rather than hide it, uncovering a subtle beauty that arises when light breaks through fear.
Christina Sikora’s “twenty something” is a layered reflection on the search for self as one steps into adulthood. Through textured melodies and honest lyrics, she shares her doubts and passions, with a voice that’s as sensitive as it is powerful. Christina is honest, showing that she has sorrow, tenderness, drive, and grit. The album is marked by remarkable, sensitive contrasts that unite her powerful voice, artistry, and character.
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