After two years of on-and-off success, Canadian born, London based pop musician Cate finally burst onto the music scene in 2021 with catchy song ‘Groupie’, and her career has only been on an upwards trajectory since. She begins 2024 with a double single release including TikTok’s viral ‘Rocket Science’.
‘Rocket Science’ is a look into Cate’s more vulnerable side, a side she hasn’t shied away from so far, with lyrics that encapsulate the feelings of betrayal and unfaithfulness in a relationship. With a gentle guitar, and her lilting harmonies assisting her melodies throughout, she sings vulnerably about the lack of vulnerability in her relationship.
To me, this song is the epitome of womanhood and frames the discussions of 2023 around women perfectly – while men and women are different, the struggle of men to understand the simple desires and needs of a woman is unfathomable… after all “loving [her]isn’t rocket science”. Cate encapsulates the female struggle to be loved by men in these three-and-a-half minutes.
The middle eight will always make or break a song for me, and the lyrics in the middle eight of ‘Rocket Science’ not only sum up the meaning of the song, but the tension as the instrumental builds to the final question of “did you think I didn’t know?” followed by the final chorus completely proves the point about womanhood that Cate is trying to make. Women aren’t stupid, and truly, the vulnerability in this song and the music building around the perfectly crafted (yet still simple) lyrics takes the cake here.
While the second half of the double release ‘You Don’t Love Me’ wasn’t promoted to the same extent as its lead, it also boasts the same vibe and beauty of ‘Rocket Science.’ This time, Cate laments on watching a partner love her a little less every day until that love has faded completely. Cate battles with the contrast of the beginning of the relationship where everything seemed perfect, the love felt everlasting and how, now, he seems like a different person.
Sonically, it has the same country vibes as ‘Rocket Science’ but is structurally very different. This time, the second chorus builds all the tension into a gentle bridge and a gentle final chorus. The shorter verses emphasise how heartbreaking the lines in the chorus are, figuring out and coming to the conclusion that what was there is no longer, and the energy wasted on this relationship isn’t worth it anymore.
Overall, both songs fit perfectly together, and could be mistaken for love songs with some lyrics, until the punchlines and the conclusions are drawn – a style of song that roommate and best friend, Maisie Peters, has mastered, and Cate begins to embody here.
I loved both of these songs, and they’re both worth a listen as you drive down winding country lanes, windows down.
‘Rocket Science’ and ‘You Don’t Love Me’ are out now.
