Ana Kahan Debut EP “don’t grow up, it’s a trap”- Review

Words by Maja Witczak

What an incredible honour it is when an artist wants to share her new music with you even before its official release. That’s exactly the opportunity I received from Ana Kahan, who will release her debut EP, “don’t grow up, it’s a trap,” on August 21. After my first listen, I can say one thing: this release is full of emotion, honesty, and stories in which it’s really easy to find a piece of yourself.

The first track, “Free,” premiered on streaming platforms in May of this year, and from the very first seconds, it perfectly sets the tone for the entire EP. I love the lyrics of this song, but above all, I love the way Ana interprets them with her delicate, emotional, yet incredibly distinctive voice.  “Free” is a song for anyone who has ever missed someone they definitely shouldn’t have missed. And it’s precisely this contradiction between what we know and what we feel that makes the song resonate so deeply with the listener.

“Kissing My Best Friend” is definitely my favourite track on the entire EP.  After hearing it for the first time, it immediately made its way onto my streaming playlists. It’s a beautiful song, but at the same time very personal and emotional. It’s about giving a chance to someone who, after all, should never have broken your heart—because they were your best friend. And yet, in the end, you’re left more hurt than ever. Ana captures this mix of closeness, hope, disappointment, and pain very well. It’s one of those songs that can make you start recalling your own stories.

“Girls Girl,” on the other hand, is an incredibly intimate and honest track that doesn’t need an overly elaborate production. Ana’s light, melancholic vocals are all this song needs. I’m very glad that more and more artists are showing that emotions in friendships aren’t always perfect, simple, or free of conflict. Thanks to this, such songs resonate even more deeply with listeners, because we can see ourselves in them. In “Girls Girl,” we don’t get an idealised portrayal of female friendship, but something much more human: a relationship full of feelings and closeness, yet also marked by difficult moments and complex emotions.

“Lucy Mae”—what a beautiful song. If you have a sister, there’s a good chance this song will stay in your heart and memory for a long time. I won’t lie—I was really moved while listening to it. I love the lightness of this composition and the catchy chorus that sticks in your head right away, but the song’s greatest strength is its emotional depth.

And finally, the title track—“don’t grow up, it’s a trap.” I don’t know if I’ve ever read a song title I can relate to more. As children, we all wait for the moment when we’ll finally be adults. We think that adulthood means freedom, independence, and the ability to do whatever we want. But when we finally grow up, we find ourselves dreaming more and more often of turning back time, even if just for a moment. I love Ana’s voice in this track; listening to it, you get the impression that someone is telling you their story right into your ear. It’s a very personal ending to the EP, but at the same time, it’s a theme that turns out to be surprisingly universal.

“Don’t Grow Up, It’s a Trap” is an EP I’ll definitely be coming back to. There’s something incredibly refreshing about its honesty. Ana doesn’t try to hide her emotions or present them as more perfect than they really are. Instead, she lets us into her world and tells stories about love, friendship, growing up, longing, and relationships that don’t always turn out the way we imagined.

I really enjoy discovering music by artists who are just starting out. There’s something special about it—the chance to get to know their work right at the beginning of their journey and then watch them grow as artists. That’s why I’m all the more thrilled that I got to listen to this EP even before its official release. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for Ana, because her music definitely deserves to reach a wider audience. If you like honest, emotional songs that stay with you longer than just the duration of the track—“don’t grow up, it’s a trap” is definitely worth adding to your playlist.