Mental Health Themes in Music: Dancing In The Kitchen

Today, we’re looking at the title track on the EP, “Dancing In The Kitchen,” recently released by Indie Pop artist, Freya Ridings, in April 2026. Let’s dive in…

“Mama said it's the grit that makes the pearl

Hold your head up high, you’re my girl

But I found it really hard”

This type of sentiment, while commonly shared with the best of intentions, can have the opposite effect. Not only does Ridings note this explicitly, but the way in which she sings these lines is beautifully mournful.

“People say only stars go to Hollywood

Get a life, get a job, get some motherhood

And that kinda broke my heart”

These lines expand on this same idea, but in a more widespread, cultural context. All of us (and especially cis-women) hear this message all the time. The pressure builds and, sometimes, this motivates rushed decisions and a lack of attunement with what we genuinely want for our lives. And, by the time we realize it, it can be a whole thing that requires grieving.

“My brother said you're a tiger that's gonna roar

Whatcha hiding the fire in your soul for?

And that really hit me hard”

But, sometimes we receive a reminder of our agency. Sometimes we’re prompted to pause long enough to listen to parts that have been buried under the thickest layers of camouflage. How young are we when we start questioning if we’re “too much” or “not enough”? And how long does it end up taking to question this belief? Either way, such a powerful epiphany.

“Splinters left from the hardwood floor

Well, I couldn't love them more”

I appreciate how the bridge highlights the dialectical nature of such experiences. Even if the splinters sting and even if they leave scarring, it can be more than worthwhile to go against the grain. We might even be able to look back at our past selves with gratitude for taking the more uncertain path even though it was hard.

“I put my headphones in, start to spin

Wanting to leave this world behind

Turn Aretha up, don't give a fuck

If my neighbours hear me cry

When I'm dancing in the kitchen at night”

And finally, this really drives home the image of dancing to the beat of your own drum. It illustrates the necessity of tuning unnecessary stimuli out in order to focus on what it is that we actually need. In short, it is an anthem for unapologetic, genuine expression.

This is an invitation to pause. This is an invitation to connect to those buried layers if and when accessible. And, above all else, I hope this heartfelt ode can give you the permission you need to lean in and listen.

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Kim Johnson, LMHC, MT-BC, is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) and board certified music therapist (MT-BC) who graduated with her master’s from Lesley University in 2017. She has experience with adults and adolescents in group private practice and community mental health settings. The levels of care she has worked in are outpatient, with both individual and group therapy and in partial hospital programs for mental health and substance use disorders. Additionally, she has had intensive training in dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive processing therapy for PTSD.

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