Royal & The Serpent Makes Major Label Debut With “Overwhelmed”

Royal & The Serpent (AKA Ryan Santiago) makes her major label via Atlantic Records. An intense, instantly catchy alt-pop anthem about the horrors of being trapped in your own mind, “Overwhelmed” heralds the arrival of a defiantly original new talent. “Turn off the T.V, it’s starting to freak me out,” she begins the song. “It’s so loud, it’s like my ears are bleeding.” That takes us to the extremely relatable chorus. “I get overwhelmed so easily, my anxiety creeps inside of me,” the LA-based newcomer sings. “Makes it hard to breathe, words come over me.”

What inspired the song? “When I wrote ‘Overwhelmed’ I was in a place of feeling really neurotic and over-stimulated,” Royal & The Serpent reveals. “The song is sort of me explaining what my life was like at that moment — this feeling of needing to be in control of everything and experiencing a constant sensory overload.” Oh, and if you’re wondering about her moniker, Ryan breaks it down for us. Royal captures the “sweet sunshine angel” part of her personality, while Serpent refers to the “freaky devil maniac” lurking within. (Yes, she is a gemini).

Watch Royal & The Serpent’s ’70s-influenced “Overwhelmed” video below.

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