Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Karen Harding has undergone a transformation in her latest release, moving away from the emotional ballads she released in 2021 and 2022. Her new indie-pop single, "Devil In The Mirror," which was released on March 17, 2023, tackles the societal pressure to conform to an unrealistic standard of perfection. Harding wrote, recorded, and produced the track herself, with Edwin Kraus handling mixing and mastering. The song's driving drum rhythms and 80s-style bass lines, combined with bell synth pads and binaural beats, create a catchy tune that uses the devil as a metaphor for the negative voice in our minds that undermines our confidence and leaves us feeling inadequate, whether it be related to body image, the need for external validation, or unfulfilled ambitions.
Karen Harding explains: “Like so many people, I have spent so much of my life being afraid to put myself in front of a camera or for people to see the whole me. My ‘devil’ would tell me stories that I didn’t measure up or that I didn’t look how I was supposed to look. I wanted to share this song because I believe that we’re in a pandemic.. that people everywhere are striving for impossible, unreachable versions of themselves. I want them to know that they ARE good enough just by being themselves. They finally have the chance to break the mirror and conquer their devil.”