There’s a rare confidence in VIAA’s “Arson”, the kind that comes from an artist who has spent years honing her voice across genres and stages. The track fuses alt-pop, pop-punk, emo, and electronic influences into a seamless, dynamic whole, creating a sound that is at once nostalgic and modern. It’s an emotive track that refuses to settle into convention, instead demanding attention through its intricate layers and raw honesty.
VIAA’s vocals are the emotional core of the track, shifting between tender reflection and piercing conviction with effortless control. The song’s arrangement mirrors its lyrical journey, with tense verses giving way to explosive, cathartic choruses. Mori Einsidler and Troi Irons’ production creates space for this dynamic, allowing every element — from shimmering synths to distorted guitar lines — to breathe.
Thematically, “Arson” is about shedding what no longer serves you. VIAA’s perspective as a Black woman in alternative music adds another layer of significance, making the track both a personal catharsis and a broader statement of presence and empowerment in a space that often marginalizes voices like hers.
By blending visceral emotion with meticulous craftsmanship, VIAA transforms personal upheaval into something celebratory and universally resonant. “Arson” is proof that alternative pop can be cathartic, thrilling, and artfully composed all at once.
