Alex Porat's "Face Like Yours" Is A Cathartic Anthem for Situationship Survivors

Photography: Mariah Hamilton

Alex Porat's "Face Like Yours" emerges as a sharp, witty dissection of a failed situationship, serving as the lead single from her upcoming "crushed!" EP. The Toronto-based singer crafts a narrative that is both relatable and cathartic, turning the familiar experience of unrequited energy into an upbeat, danceable pop track.

Porat, in discussing the song, reveals it's a "funny take" on a common modern relationship pitfall: the realization that one's efforts are not reciprocated. The lyrics, laced with sardonic observations like "You’re so original for leaving me on read," and "Know you peaked in high school, but it still goes to your head," highlight a character lacking self-awareness and effort.

The Justin Alexis-directed music video enhances this narrative, portraying Porat's handsome yet vapid boyfriend, played by Francesco Manella. The visual juxtaposition of his superficial charm against Porat's scathing lyrics, such as "What a waste, a face like yours," and "Your future is dry as a desert," underscores the song's central theme: the frustration of investing in someone who doesn't meet the emotional investment.

Porat's approach is deliberate: she eschews the typical heartbreak ballad for an empowering anthem. "I didn’t want to write a sad song for people to cry to because the type of person this is about definitely isn’t worth crying over," she stated. Instead, she aims to provide a track that listeners can "blast, dance to and realize that they deserve way better." This sentiment, delivered with a touch of humor, resonates with the EP's overall theme of navigating the highs and lows of new relationships.

"Crushed!" as Porat describes, is inspired by the initial rush of falling for someone, a sentiment she attributes to her current relationship. The EP is designed to capture the excitement and anticipation of early romance, a feeling she imagines listeners will channel while dancing in their rooms to her music.

The single, therefore, acts as a counterpoint to the EP's overarching theme. It shows the listener that even in the midst of finding new love, one can still reflect on and find humor in the past situations that did not work out. It highlights the often complicated emotional landscape of modern dating, where moments of joy and frustration often exist side by side.