Empowering Alt-Pop: Rachel Bochner's "Hard To Please" Confronts Societal Standards

New York-based alt-pop act Rachel Bochner shares her new single, “Hard To Please," out today on Handwritten Records. “Hard To Please” will join recent singles “Here For The Drama,” “If I’m Gunna Be Sad (I Might As Well Look Hot Doing It),” and “Sucker Punch,” on Rachel’s highly anticipated 6-track EP, ‘It’s Not Me, It’s U,’ set to release on August 11th.

Seamlessly combining gritty guitar riffs and driving drums with her sweet signature vocals, Rachel delivers a delicious slice of alt-pop perfection with "Hard To Please." With lyrics like, "I’m getting sick of it / Targets I’ll never hit / How can I reach the end of it / When there’s no finish line," "Hard To Please" addresses the unfair societal pressures placed on women and the difficulties of trying to break free from those internalized standards. It's a relatable sentiment that will hit home with women everywhere.

Rachel elaborates: “I started writing ‘Hard To Please’ at a time when the pressure of looking and being perceived a certain way felt consuming. As a woman - in general, and in the music industry - I felt like I kept getting caught in the push and pull of knowing deep down that I don't need to look a certain way or weigh a certain amount to be worthy of love and success, but not being able to fully let go of internalized superficial beauty standards. This song was an outlet for me to voice that frustration and help me realize I deserve some grace.”

Since making her debut in 2020, Rachel has gone on to make some serious waves with her fiery, playful pop sound and whip-smart lyricism. Giving grit to vulnerability, she is unafraid to own the thoughts, mistakes, and emotions we tend to shy away from.

On her upcoming EP, ‘It’s Not Me, It’s U,’ Rachel rises from the ashes of heartbreak to deliver a concoction of songs that dance between vulnerable, melancholic, energetic, and playful. “When people hear these songs, I want them to know it’s okay to feel their feelings, to find humor even in the darkness, and to remember that we have the power to define our own self-worth," she adds. ‘It’s Not Me, It’s U’ will be out on August 11th.