AN INTERVIEW WITH CAROLINE ROMANO ABOUT HER "HOW THE GOOD GIRLS DIE" EP
The latest EP from Caroline, How The Good Girls Die, invites listeners into a raw, self-reflective world where vulnerability meets resilience. The project, which started as a series of unfiltered songwriting sessions, presents a contrast to the artist’s previous work, A Brief Epic. It’s darker, more introspective, and captures the uncertainty of adulthood in a way that feels both personal and as a whole relatable.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LYRIC FROM "IDK THESE DAYS?”
My favorite lyric from “IDK These Days” has to be “I try to act like I don’t care, but Lord knows that I do.” It just sums up so much of the song in one line. I think the catalyst for many of the emotions mentioned in “IDK These Days” is suppressed frustration. I’m definitely someone who tries to downplay their emotions in front of others, so that’s a very cathartic line for me. WHAT WAS THE WRITING PROCESS LIKE FOR THE HOW THE GOOD GIRLS DIE EP? DID YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ORDER YOU WANTED THE SONGS IN TO CAPTURE THE STORY THAT YOU’RE TELLING?
The writing process for this EP really started at the beginning of last year. One of my producers and very good friends, John Dyke, and I decided to just write whatever we wanted every Monday and see what happened. This EP is the result of that. I didn’t go into the writing process with a specific theme or idea in mind. I more just used the songs I was writing as audible diaries of what was going on in my life at the time. It wasn’t until I sat down later last year and started to play songs back to back with each other that I realized there was a story already there. The order of the track list and release is always important to me, as I view each song as sort of a chapter in a book. The story’s being told in chronological order of how this girl ends up where she is now. 
WHAT MAKES THIS EP DIFFERENT FROM YOUR LAST EP, A BRIEF EPIC?
'How the Good Girls Die' is definitely a bit thematically darker than 'A Brief Epic.' I’d say it’s more self-reflective rather than relationship specific as well. I think in many ways, it feels like a more grown up version of the songs I’d write as a teenager. It’s volatile and uncertain and figuring itself out as it goes, while 'A Brief Epic' was overall more peaceful and sure of itself. I think this project feels like October, and the last EP felt more like June. ANY SPECIAL RITUALS YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU'RE GETTING READY TO GO ON STAGE AND PERFORM?
I always like to call my parents 30 minutes or so before. It reminds me of when I was first starting to play shows, and talking to them would always calm my nerves and bring me so much peace. I also pick a really hype song to listen to on the way to the venue, typically Charli XCX or Tate McRae as of late. I’m a big fan of coconut water, so I always drink a lot of it before a show as well!DO YOU GO INTO THE STUDIO KNOWING WHAT KIND OF SONGS YOU’RE GOING TO WRITE? OR DOES IT JUST TEND TO HAPPEN ORGANICALLY?
It depends! There are days when I have a clear vision and idea of what I want to write and how I want it to sound. Other times it takes messing around with different instrumentation or production once I’m already in the studio. I really love how it’s different each time, and a song rarely happens the exact same way twice. 
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH ANSWERING THE QUESTION “HOW ARE YOU DOING?”— WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE THAT WANT TO OPEN UP MORE BUT DON’T KNOW HOW?
My advice to anyone struggling with opening up in that regard is to practice saying it to yourself first. From experience, I know I like to put up the front, to both myself and to others, that I’m always doing alright. I believe there’s a lot of benefit and strength that comes with admitting how you’re feeling to yourself for the first time. Finding someone you trust to talk to about it is always a great next step. It really can be so tough in the beginning, to say “I’m actually not doing great right now,” but any start is a step in the right direction. I promise reaching out in an honest way about these things is the best way to work on feeling and getting better. IF YOUR EP WAS A MIXED DRINK, WHAT INGREDIENTS WOULD BE IN IT?
Has to be vodka and Diet Coke! Those ingredients really inspired the entire How The Good Girls Die EP.WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG FROM YOUR NEW EP, HOW THE GOOD GIRLS DIE?
“Born to Want More” and “IDK These Days” will always be really special ones to me. I think they’re the most vulnerable, and each one really brought me out of my comfort zone in its own way. I don’t think I could choose between them. I loved the way each song flowed through my headphones. I think the lyrics really do tell a story and every person can relate to the words. Story telling in music makes it feel so relatable and real.•For listeners, the EP is a journey—one of emotional discovery, tension, and release. "Born to Want More" and "IDK These Days" are the heart of the project, offering a window into the artist’s most vulnerable moments. But, in a way, every track is a chapter in a diary that we’re lucky enough to read. With How The Good Girls Die, Caroline has created something that feels both uniquely personal and widely accessible, a reflection of the complexities that we all face on the road to self-understanding.
