Some songs are meant to wake us up, and “Masquerade,” Steph Amoroso’s new single, does exactly that. It's a straightforward, unadorned declaration about what happens when we stop lying to ourselves. In this record, she opens with a stealthy restraint that keeps you alert, as if waiting for something more.
Steph's voice is firm and serene, with an underlying fragility that adds depth. And it's right in the middle where everything boils over. The melody changes, the production becomes rawer, and the emotion explodes. This musical transformation is no coincidence. Amoroso says this change mirrors that moment when the lie no longer holds water and the truth, even if it hurts, prevails.
The lyrics of “Masquerade” are as straightforward as its melody, capturing the moment you realize that the love story you were telling yourself only existed in your mind. "It's playing pretend with someone who was never really yours, until the act wears thin and the truth hits hard," Steph Amoroso said. It's about self-illusion and the instant when fantasy collapses before you.
The track also marks a new direction for Amoroso's sound. After exploring dance-pop and country rock on her EP “Road to Eden,” this song takes her into a rougher, more New York-inspired territory: pop/rock with '90s energy and a rebellious spirit. The music video reinforces this aesthetic with an intense, cinematic visual narrative that enhances the emotional impact.
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Singer, songwriter, musician, and actor, Steph Amoroso earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is known for her overwhelming presence and powerful voice. Amoroso is a talented artist who has built a career in the New York art scene. From her performance in the iconic immersive show Sleep No More to her residencies at The McKittrick Hotel and now the Silver Lining Lounge, she has shown that her work is as much about the live experience as it is about the music.
“Masquerade” is the logical next step: a song that sounds like her, intense, direct, and with one foot on stage and the other on the street. The truth is that “Masquerade” is less about heartbreak than it is about facing reality. Steph Amoroso strips away pretense, confronting it head-on and choosing honesty over illusion, no matter how much it stings.
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PHOTO CREDITS
Photographer: Austin Ruffer
Hair: Dom Forletta
Makeup: Andrew Dahling
Styling: Alicia Amoroso
Black corset & choker necklace courtesy of Wiederhoeft
Custom Plaid Garment by Atelier Abene
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