So Soldier, so Me
the soundtrack to a soft emotional revolution
Carrie Bradshaw proved to us all that love and fashion go hand in hand.
We curate our wardrobes around our little romantic affairs - whether it's a hot date or “just a friend” who keeps crossing the line with every negroni.
As for me, after going through a French revolution of my own not too long ago, I decided to mend my heart by writing about the things that keep me going. The things that soothe me when I feel hopeless, like music. The ones that challenge how I see the world, like art. And the one that sometimes protects my ego, but often reveals my soul, fashion.
Let’s start with music, more specifically, the album About Face by #1 Dads. This band is one of those rare side projects that doesn’t just fill time between albums - it fills a room with feeling. Created by Big Scary’s Tom Iansek during a quiet stretch, the project leans into layered acoustics, raw vocals, and that rare rain-soaked mood that makes your chest feel kind of full. From mandolins to glockenspiels, every track is a warm, slow dive. It’s music for moments when you're not just listening, you're remembering.
I recently came across the second track, So Soldier, buried in one of my old playlists. I vaguely remember liking it enough to save it, but this time, it hit differently. It felt like hope, not just through the lyrics, but through the softness of its melody. To me, it sounds like making peace with the past. With your shadow.
I love how music can trigger such deep emotional responses - if you let it. I believe art speaks to the brave. Because meaning lives in the eyes of the beholder. And if you choose to blind yourself to life’s pain, you’ll inevitably miss out on everything that makes it worth living - beauty, love, joy.
Coming back to the album, About Face feels like walking through a quiet city at dawn: still, cinematic, and full of unspoken emotion. Each track builds slowly, never shouting for your attention, but always pulling you in. It’s the kind of album that belongs in your hidden my life is a movie playlist.
While I absolutely love the whole album, here’s my top 3:
1.So Soldier (what a surprise)
2.Return To
3.Nominal
Enjoy.
And for an even more graphic representation of how this album made me feel, here's an illustration I made.
It explores the vulnerability of retreating inward and letting your guard down. Each flower symbolizes a distinct emotion, while the glass-like texture and transparency reflect the fluidity of our inner states. The dark leaves in the background represent fears and past experiences — ever-present, yet receding. Despite this, the overall yellow palette conveys hope and optimism. The structured shapes that define the space suggest rationality, but their soft, fading edges remind us that our thoughts and perspectives are always subject to change.
Sleeping in a glass garden