Her sultry voice, some drums, a few guitars, and a very simple production are enough to reach the depths of your soul. In her self-titled album, Thavoron, out today via Trailing Twelve, singer-songwriter Thavoron is exploring her identity, desire, love, and intense yet short life (she’s only twenty-three). Especially after coming out as a trans woman in July this year, the Cambodian-American artist is more in touch with herself than ever. And that’s apparent in the thirteen songs that make up her latest LP.
It all started back in March, when Thavoron shared Body, the first single off of the new record, an ode to queer relationships and sensuality that is deeply resonating and emotional yet upbeat and sparky. It was followed by My Man, where the artist shifted the narrative to focus on her failed relationships and the disappointments of dating. Life is made of ironies, contradictions, dichotomies; and so is art to reflect those. So, naturally, Thavoron’s new album does so too.
A beautiful, soft guitar opens the LP. It’s Eastern Cold, an intimate and raw song where Thavoron shows her soulful vocals and honest lyrics. In Sex and Prayer, these vocals are more textured, sounding almost like she’s lamenting something. And again, the dichotomy or contradictions we were talking about before are apparent in just the title, which is apparent in the entire record. One of the most emotional songs in the album is American Urge, which comes with a poetic music video where Thavaron opens up about her trans identity and reveals herself anew to the world.
Many of the songs start with simple yet catchy guitar melodies, including Everett, Strong and High, all followed by the artist’s enchanting voice. It’s clear that she’s worked tirelessly on this record, which is so personal, sensitive and, why not admit it, sad. But it’s also calming and helps soothe one’s soul in a way. Because the way to self-acceptance, the hardships of dating in today’s fast-paced, ironically disconnected world, or the way to embrace our innermost desires are topics that speak to us all.