LOVE EXPANSION | Alessia Cara

Jessica Lasley
Feb 25
4 min read

Sometimes when we look at love, we so badly want it to work out, and base how we’re going to feel after on if it works or if it doesn’t. But I think that, so much of love is actually, and life in general, is not so much trusting that the thing is going to work out but rather trusting that you’ll be okay if it doesn’t. Trusting yourself, that you can get through anything, and whether the thing works out or not that’s the irrelevant part.~Alessia Cara

Alessia Cara, born Alessia Caracciolo on July 11, 1996, in Mississauga, Ontario, is a Canadian singer-songwriter renowned for her relatable lyrics and powerful voice. She began her musical journey at the age of 10 by learning guitar and writing poetry, later gaining recognition through her YouTube covers. Her breakthrough single "Here," released in 2015, resonated with young audiences and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. This success led to her debut album Know-It-All, featuring hits like "Scars to Your Beautiful," which addressed themes of self-acceptance and body positivity. Cara won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2018, becoming the first Canadian artist to achieve this honor.

Cara's subsequent albums, including The Pains of Growing (2018) and In the Meantime (2021), showcased her evolution as a young woman growing up in the spotlight. From the beginning of her career Cara has used her vulnerable lyrics and platform to bring awareness to important social issues such as mental health awareness, and body positivity. She has collaborated with notable musicians like Zedd, and Logic on the song “1-800-273-8255,” which addresses suicide and mental health issues. Her collaborations have not only solidified her presence in the industry, but also as an advocate for social change. In February 2025, she released her fourth studio album, Love & Hyperbole (2025), which is receiving positive acclaim.

I attended Alessia Cara's press conference in February organized °1824 & Universal Music Group with approximately 85 youth representing various social media platforms like, Her Campus, That Fangirl Life, The Honey Pop, podcasters Stefania and Sophie - Friends Not Fans and many more. It was an amazing experience to hear about Cara’s personal and artistic growth over the past three years. Ana, from Closer2Vision, asked if Cara had any personal breakthroughs while making the album? Cara revealed she learned to embrace a more liberated approach to creating music. Her breakthrough came from "just going in with nothing to say at first and just trying things" in front of other musicians. She learned not to be "too precious about [songwriting] and just allowing [herself] to write freely in front of someone else." This allowed her ideas to develop organically without constraints. The creative freedom was a part of a healing process that reshaped her understanding of love—both giving and receiving. When asked by Santos, of Hotspot Creatives, how her views on romance have changed, Cara shared that when younger she believed a person had to "make endless sacrifices in order to show someone that you love them." After experiencing the “love that [she] want[s] and . . . always strived for," her perspective changed. She further explained, "I realize that real love is actually supposed to be something that expands you and shows you parts of yourself that you didn't know were there." Cara emphasized the uplifting and transformative qualities of love, as well as its ability to develop a person's inner self.

Love & Hyperbole showcases Cara's evolution as an artist and her exploration of love and the pain that comes along with it. The fourteen track album follows a three-act narrative: heartbreak, ambiguity, and clarity. The three singles—"Dead Man," "(Isn't It) Obvious," and "Slow Motion"—serve as pivotal points in this journey. "Dead Man" portrays the dark realization of a one-sided relationship, while "(Isn't It) Obvious" captures a moment of uncertainty and reassurance. "Slow Motion," near the album's conclusion, celebrates a deep, fairy-tale-like connection, with Cara fully embracing new possibilities. Her growth is represented by a garden, first trampled on by an ex-lover in “Left Alone.” In “Garden Interlude,” after being invigorated by a new relationship, she is open to resurrecting her garden. By “Nighttime Thing,” she is picking petals from the blooming foliage. The album not only demonstrates her growth as a musician, but is also a testament to Cara's ability to transform personal experiences into universally relatable music, further solidifying her position as a thoughtful and evolving artist in the contemporary music landscape.

Jessica is a junior at the University of Connecticut, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English. In her free time, she enjoys binge-watching TV shows and movies—her favorites being Golden Girls and Rango. A passionate reader, she especially loves mystery and fantasy novels, which inspired her dream of becoming a novelist and screenwriter.During her childhood, she played the clarinet in elementary and middle school and once aspired to be an Olympic swimmer after taking lessons. Now, she’s excited to bring her voice to the Withitgirl platform. Her WITHITGIRL playlist is here 🕺🌟 Jessica is one of four withitgirl scholarship recipients for this winter’s 2025 Earth Charter Institute Youth Leadership Certification Course!

Additional Information

Alessia Cara @alessiasmusichq

@1824 a first-of-its-kind network of young creatives focused on content and the connection of artists directly to fans.

Universal Music Group @universalmusicgroup