Carys Garvey - Barbie Doll

17-year-old singer/songwriter drops new single, “Barbie Doll,” addressing unreasonable beauty standards for young women

LOS ANGELES, CA – A young new voice from Ventura, California is not only grabbing the attention of new fans and music industry insiders alike, but is also bringing a timely message that is sure to empower young women all over the world.

Carys Garvey is a 17-year-old singer whose new single, “Barbie Doll,” is the ideal display of her unique voice and original writing style. The innovative, clean production begins with ukulele paired perfectly with her warm, ethereal voice for a laid-back, summer feel, reminiscent of artists like Colbie Caillat. As the song progresses, the mood intensifies with booming bass, modern percussion, and layered vocal harmonies. The lyrics talk about the pressures put on women in today’s American society to fit a certain mold. Carys encourages young women to love the skin they’re in and ignore the condemnation of an often shallow society that tells them they have to look a certain way to be pretty.

“Society shouldn’t make you feel like you have to change to make yourself worthy,” Carys said. “That just leads to the feeling of never being good enough, which can be detrimental to self-esteem and mental health. This song uses irony to showcase how, even if you change everything about yourself to fit this ideal of a woman in today’s society, it isn’t truly fulfilling. I reference Barbie dolls because they are a well-known example of our culture’s over-emphasis on feminine appearance and unrealistic beauty standards.”

Carys said it’s the first song she wrote using the ukulele, and she notes that usually she starts writing a song from her piano. She also plays the guitar and keyboards and has studied vocal expression in classical, pop, choir ensemble, and acapella chorus. Additionally, she doesn’t feel like her sound or style can be painted into one box or genre; she loves integrating everything from Pop to Alternative and R&B. Much of that eclectic sound and style will be displayed on her upcoming EP, “Like Flowers Grow,” which she said will drop sometime this summer.

“Some of the songs are upbeat while others are more emotional and introspective,” Carys said. “There are six songs in total; most of them include piano, guitar, ukulele, and/or electronic instruments. A few have strings, and most have layered vocals and harmonies.”

“I touch on different topics than a lot of other current artists, which I think helps set me apart. I’m not just writing breakup songs and love songs ─ I really like to paint a picture and communicate a message with my lyrics. I want the music and lyrics to coalesce into a story, I don’t think they should be developed separately. For each song, I want every element to work together to create an image in someone’s mind – to walk them through the story that’s in my mind. At the end of the day, I’d like to be known for a new, unique sound that doesn’t stick to the limitations of one genre or style. I want to be known as an artist who experiments and combines many styles of music. Every genre has so many beautiful aspects, and it’s a shame to be limited to one, so I want to showcase as many as possible and demonstrate that music doesn’t need to be confined to one box.”

Carys’s rich soprano vocals will soon be soaring across the U.S. and eventually, around the world. Hers is the kind of sound that cannot be ignored, and “Barbie Doll” is just the first step on a long journey for this young musician.