'Carrie Okay' Make Their Debut with 'High in a Drugstore'
Carrie Okay is a new alternative pop-rock supergroup consisting of Alna, LØLØ, and Salem Ilese. These three artists are far from unknown in the music industry. Each has built her own fanbase, established herself as a songwriter, and created a body of work both for herself and other artists. So, bringing those three creative forces together naturally creates a group with plenty of songwriting experience and personality, making them a force to be reckoned with.
Welcome, Carrie Okay, and their debut single, “High in a Drugstore”.
The track was written and produced with Andrew Goldstein, known for his work with artists including blink-182, Tate McRae, and Machine Gun Kelly, which immediately establishes a sound that feels both nostalgic and current.
“High in a Drugstore” pairs acoustic guitars with the trio’s tender and emotionally charged vocals. Their voices blend and harmonize beautifully, creating a warmth that, on first listen, makes the song feel almost comforting. But underneath that softness is something much rawer and more vulnerable.
The music video leans heavily into a late ’90s and early 2000s aesthetic, with wired headphones, nostalgic styling, and visual touches that recall the era’s pop-rock and pop icons, from Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morissette to Christina Aguilera and Atomic Kitten, while also carrying sounds and vibes of the pop sensibilities that would later define artists such as Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo. It’s a mix of both earlier and modern sounds, catching the listener by surprise and making them linger.
It’s a familiar aesthetic, but Carrie Okay doesn’t simply recreate the past. Instead, they filter that nostalgia through a distinctly modern alternative-pop sound. They draw inspiration from vibes and aesthetics they probably love, in their own styles, and blend them together to give it their personal touch.
And then there are the lyrics.
The catchy refrain has you nodding along, but the words linger long after the song’s 2:56 runtime has ended. It’s raw and painful with the right tinge of sarcasm. Their voices lull you in, but the lyrics make you stay. At first listen, when you don’t listen to the lyrics, you might think it is a calm and happy song, but once the gravity of their meaning hits you, you stumble over your words and hit rewind to listen closely to their meaning.
One of the most striking passages comes when the narrator turns their own mind into another character. A distinctive figure that has nothing to do with the narrator’s thoughts or feelings, as if the mind has a way of its own:
my mind is a drunk whore,
and she’s lonely without you,
lonely without you,
she’s begging me to call,
calling me a bitch,
bitching when I cry,
crying for a kiss
There is something almost theatrical about the way the narrator separates themselves from their own mind and turns it into 'she.' It feels like an internal conversation between the rational self and the part that simply cannot let go.
The narrator doesn’t necessarily seem to want the relationship back. Instead, they seem desperate to stop missing the person. They thought they were okay, only for the possibility of seeing that person again to bring everything rushing back. The mind is still attached, hung up on that person, even when the conscious self knows that going back might not change anything. It’s a feeling that can feel relatable. A feeling that can feel heartbreaking and comforting at the same time. Heartbreaking in the moment you’re feeling like that, and comforting when you realize, through this song or other people, that you’re not alone in this feeling. And that can make this song feel deeply bittersweet.
That tension is what makes the song so relatable: you can know that someone isn’t right for you and still miss them terribly. That is human. That is normal.
And then there’s another lyric that perfectly captures that loss of control:
I’m such a sucker, typing your number
mad at my fingers (mad at my fingers)
It’s funny when you think about blaming your fingers for something they wouldn’t be able to do if your mind didn’t say it, but it’s also painfully honest. The narrator isn’t even blaming themselves anymore. They’re blaming their fingers for reaching toward someone their mind knows they probably shouldn’t call.
That’s what makes “High in a Drugstore” such an intriguing introduction to Carrie Okay. The song doesn’t romanticize heartbreak. It makes it messy, funny, sarcastic, desperate for relief, and human. It’s real, raw, and deeply honest.
There’s a '7-Eleven' instead of 'heaven.' There’s a 'gummy' instead of 'emotional clarity.' There’s a phone number being typed by fingers that the narrator is furious with.
Their debut feels like an introduction to three artists who already know how to write songs, but are now discovering what happens when they put those voices, experiences, and instincts together. With this force, they are a girl group the world should watch.
We don’t know for sure if 'Carrie' is 'Okay,' but we know listening to their debut track makes us feel okay.
Grab your wired headphones and dive right into their debut single, “High in a Drugstore,” now out on a streaming platform of your choice.
REVIEW BY
Sabrina
I love sharing the things that bring me joy and make me feel at home. Whether it’s stumbling upon hidden gems, experiencing unforgettable concerts, or finding inspiration in art, books, and film, I’m always chasing moments that matter. Life keeps me moving, and through writing, I get to share my adventures and my love for the artists who inspire me. There’s so much beauty out there waiting to be seen and appreciated!
