Exzenya takes listeners into unsettling psychological territory with her latest “Captivity”, a dark pop track that examines the mechanics of control and trauma conditioning. Opening with a haunting folk sample sung in a strikingly low register, the song immediately establishes an eerie atmosphere that pulls you into the mindset of someone whose reality has been completely rewritten by their captor.
The production is minimal and rich. Allowing Exzenya’s vocal performance to anchor the entire experience, she is a skillful artist, and her range moves from those rare, resonant lows to anguished higher notes, creating an emotional tug-of-war between surrender and resistance, and the slight grit and rasp in her voice actually strengthen the authenticity of the storytelling.
Exzenya uses real ideas about trauma, looking at Stockholm Syndrome and feeling trapped in your mind in ways that respect what survivors have gone through. The lyrics ask unqiue and meaningful questions about losing your sense of self and whether you can ever get away after being changed like that. As part of her Story of My Life album, “Captivity” will make you want to hear more.
If you want to keep up with Exzenya’s unique storytelling and her journey as an independent artist redefining what debut success looks like, you should definitely follow her on Instagram.
