New Single
"Pretty Dresses"

 

Written during a period of deep self-reflection, “Pretty Dresses” grapples with Carmen’s complicated relationship to beauty and belonging. On one hand, the song leans into the desire to be seen - to wear the dress, walk the red carpet, and feel like you’re at the front of the line. But beneath the catchy hooks and retro shimmer lies a deeper question: Who gets to be visible and why?

The animated video leans into that theme with tongue-in-cheek humour. It tells the story of a slick young band lip-syncing to the song as if it were their own, while the real band - Carmen and her collaborators Joel Wasson, Drew Atkins, and Michael McKenzie - play hidden behind the scenes. When a teen fan gets snubbed by the “fake” frontman, she stumbles across the real musicians backstage and walks away inspired to make music herself. In a fun twist, the concept was born during a snowy pandemic-era “sanity walk,” when drummer/producer Joel Wasson phoned Carmen with the idea of creating a fully animated video to avoid Covid-era filming restrictions.

“Pretty Dresses” is the lead single from Carmen’s new album Fix the World, out October 7, which was co-produced with Joel Wasson and John Critchley (13 Engines), and recorded with a band of seasoned Toronto indie musicians. Carmen began working on the project in 2020, after reconnecting with Wasson through their collaboration on The Getgoes, an animated film soundtrack. Despite initial hesitation, the creative partnership flourished - culminating in an album that Carmen describes as one of the most transformative experiences of her life.

The new material reflects Carmen’s evolution as both a writer and musician. After years of performing solo or with acoustic instruments, Fix the World saw her learning electric guitar for the first time and stepping into a full band setting. The result is an 11-track album that blends power pop, indie rock, and feminist themes with vulnerability and bite - drawing comparisons to artists like Cyndi Lauper, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, and Aimee Mann.

With two more singles - “Time Bomb Heart” (Sept 9) and the title track “Fix the World” (Oct 7) - on the way, Carmen is ready to step into a new chapter: one defined by courage, craft, and a renewed sense of artistic purpose.