Barbra Lica - Imposter Syndrome (2022)

In a world where almost everyone appears to have their public image and hashtags in order, “Imposter Syndrome” explores instead an identity still in flux. Equal parts playful and sombre, these songs flip unapologetically between genres, tempos, and production styles in search of what it means to be a flawed human with big dreams, bigger feelings, and a verifiably awkward social presence…

With this newest EP, JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter-producer Barbra Lica presents her most brutally honest music to date, combining elements of Folk, RnB, Indie Pop, Jazz, and Existential Synth (not a real genre). Recorded almost entirely in home studios and cobbled together instrument by instrument, “Imposter Syndrome” represents a two-year production collaboration with some of Toronto’s most accomplished artists including James Bryan (Prozzäk, Philosopher Kings), Nicolas Tateishi (Sam Drysdale, Joanna Majoko), Christine Bougie (Bahamas, Lydia Persaud), Drew Jurecka (Dua Lipa, Jully Black), and Joel Visentin ("This American Life"). With her light-hearted dance number dedicated to girl nerdom (“Girls Like Me”), her reverie to utter defeat ("The Ghost of Me"), her gentle musings on empathy (“Take Care of You”), and her Randy Newman-esque ode to aging women (“Sour Women”), Barbra takes listeners on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and soundscapes.