Kelsie Kimberlin’s peppy and radio-ready hits don’t surprise us anymore with their efficiency or instant abilities to rouse a crowd, but her bold latest foray ‘Sucker’ did surprise us with an unusually dark sound that took her music somewhere different. Just as good, but different.
Based in Washington, DC, Kelsie Kimberlin is a singer and songwriter with a sound that has come to mean reliable, well-written, and engaging pop tunes. On her latest single ‘Sucker’, the fourth for 2025, she resumes all the roles she usually holds, as well as being the sole director of the music video for the 4th time. The multitalented and prolific artist wrote ‘Sucker’ about allowing a boy to play with her feelings. Kelsie claims that the song is not only autobiographical, but is also about the countless other girls that lack the courage or confidence to reject being abused in such a way.
‘Sucker’ is a throbbing piece of dimly lit pop with a Latin flair and a penchant for drama. Kelsie’s performance is as engaging as ever, and the composition is colorful and emotive. The melodies are inventive, and the song’s melancholic drive is addictive. A dark and bold mid-section is stunning as it makes without the beat, going for a half-time rhythm and a witchy chant for vocals.
Thoroughly enjoyable as is the case with most of Kimberlin’s songs, with a deep and relatable message and a video that is meaningful and not devoid of humor, ‘Sucker’ is a full pop meal.