California - CMAT

CMAT’s “California” opens her album Crazymad, For Me with sharp self-awareness and emotional honesty. The song explores the idea of turning heartbreak into something bigger, like an album or even a film, and using that pain as creative fuel. She puts it plainly: “I’m milking what I can from this grief,” which captures the tone of the entire track.

What makes “California” stand out is the contrast between its upbeat country-pop production and the weight of its lyrics. CMAT reflects on the experience of processing and performing personal trauma, but she does it with a mix of humor and clarity that keeps the song from feeling too heavy. It is self-referential without being cynical and challenges the idea that you need to move on quietly.

This song sets the stage for the rest of the album. It is a bold opener that takes pain and reshapes it into something powerful, and it does so in a way that feels both personal and universal.