Piper Connolly sttruggles to stay true to herself in a world of comparison with her latest single and lyric video chameleon — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The 13-year-old Phoenix artist’s latest single is a pulsing alt-pop anthem that dives into the all-too-relatable feeling of jealousy. The track explores the exhaustion of constantly reshaping yourself to mirror someone else’s success, losing sight of your true identity in the process.
With an electrifying sonic landscape and biting lyrics, chameleon unveils a razor-sharp take on envy, identity, and the relentless chase for validation. Connolly touches on a theme that many can relate to: Striving for perfection. Through well-balanced punk-influenced instrumentation and uninhibited lyrics, she peels back the glossy facade of self-reinvention to reveal the insecurity and frustration lurking underneath.
“I wrote chameleon about that ugly little feeling no one wants to admit — envy. The kind that makes you question if you’re enough, if you’re doing enough, and if you should just become someone else entirely to finally get what you want. It’s exhausting, chasing this idea of perfection, dressing it up in flashy clothes, pretending it doesn’t hurt,” Connolly explains. She describes the innate burning desire to be the perfect person, but is that truly attainable?
“This song is me being brutally honest. It’s about watching someone else succeed while you’re stuck, feeling like you’ll never measure up. It’s about faking confidence so well that even you start to believe it — until you don’t. I wanted chameleon to sound like that battle between insecurity and ambition, the way we change ourselves, hoping it’ll finally be our turn,” she continues.
Breaking down the complexities that come with comparing yourself to others, Connolly just wants to be herself. “At the end of the day, no matter how many colors I swap, I’m still me. And maybe that’s the part I have to make peace with.” chameleon was written by Connolly and Marvin Fockens, who also produced the track. It was mixed and mastered by Craig Lauinger at Mixcave Mastering.
As an emerging alt-pop star and bold innovator, Connolly has established a sonic landscape best described as like eating “caffeine-laced Pop Rocks.” Often compared to having the vocal prowess of Hayley Williams and Avril Lavigne, Connolly takes her listeners on an eccentric musical journey through rock ’n’ roll, ska and ’90s grunge, with hints of R&B, utilizing the rock and pop eras to outline and reflect upon her unique life experiences. Connolly fosters a space for true authenticity by creating an inclusive and supportive community for her teenage audiences, promoting themes of self-expression both through her music and live performances.
chameleon delves into the way we curate personas to chase an unattainable ideal, often leading to internal struggles and self-doubt. However, through its raw honesty and magnetic energy, the song ultimately serves as a reminder that embracing your real self is far more powerful than constantly chasing perfection.
Watch the lyric video for chameleon above, hear more from Piper Connolly below, and find her on her website, Tiktok and Instagram.
