Valley Girls Have Problems Too: A Look at Kylie Cantrall’s Second EP
Written by: Mayliss Delgadillo
ARTIST: Kylie Cantrall
EP: Valley Girl Problems (2026)
GENRE: Pop
RATING: 7.5/10
Kylie Cantrall has spent most of her career growing up in front of an audience. From Disney to music, there has always been an image attached to her, whether that is the bubbly performer, the “It Girl,” or the one who always seems to have everything together. “Valley Girl Problems” feels like the project where she finally starts pulling that image apart.
At first, the EP is exactly what the title promises. It’s glossy, girly, nostalgic, & full of exaggerated Valley Girl language. But underneath all the ‘like,’ ‘it’s giving,’ & ‘as if’ is a story about heartbreak, friendship, & figuring out who you are beyond the picture everyone sees. The project feels almost split into two parts: the first introduces the girl from the Valley, & the second shows her problems.
“GRWM” immediately throws you into that world. It’s barely a minute long, but it works as an opening scene, setting up the EP’s feminine, larger-than-life energy. The title track continues that idea, leaning into the Valley Girl stereotype with intentionally over-the-top, very TikTok-sounding lyrics. Instead of running away from the stereotype, Kylie seems to be playing with it, making the persona part of the narrative. The only issue is that both tracks are really short. The first two tracks both clock in at roughly a minute, & just when you start getting into them, they’re already over. There’s something clever about that since the songs are catchy enough to make you want to replay them, but it can also make them feel more like really good ideas than fully developed songs. The short runtime creates replay value but doesn’t always leave you completely satisfied.
That becomes less of an issue with “Closet,” one of the EP’s first standouts. The production is fun, but the metaphor is what makes the song work. Kylie uses her metaphorical closet to talk about cleaning out people, relationships, & things that no longer belong in her life. It’s about realizing that moving on sometimes means making space for something new, even when you’re not completely ready to let go. The song introduces one of the EP’s biggest themes: moving on is easier said than done.
That idea continues into “The Problem (Interlude).” Instead of another full song, Kylie gives us what sounds like a voicemail between her & a friend. She’s still struggling to let go of a guy, while her friend questions why she’s holding onto someone who has probably already moved on. It’s a small moment, but it becomes important later when the friendship that feels like a source of comfort becomes part of the issue.
Then comes “Carrie Bradshaw,” easily the strongest song on the EP. The Sex and the City reference is more than a cute pop-culture name drop. Carrie is practically the perfect symbol for what Kylie’s doing here: taking romantic disasters, making them fashionable, & turning the mess into a story. Kylie does something similar by dressing up her own heartbreak on the record. The production is gorgeous, her vocals get more room to shine, & the chorus is incredibly catchy. There’s also something nostalgic about it that makes the song feel like a rainy-day, headphones-on, walking-through-the-city moment. It feels like the point where the EP stops being just a fun concept & starts revealing what’s underneath it.
“The Answer” picks up directly from that moment. The shattered-glass effect feels symbolic, like the fantasy is cracking open. I also couldn’t help but wonder (no pun intended from the previously mentioned song) if it could be another “Glassheart” reference. For context, “Glassheart” is the fan-coined ship name for the relationship between Kylie’s "Red" & Malia Baker’s "Chloe" in the Descendants franchise. Kylie has already played into that connection, including a Glassheart reference in the “Carrie Bradshaw” music video, so it wouldn’t feel too far-fetched to interpret the sound effect as another nod to that relationship. Except this time, the relationship isn’t just being referenced. It’s quite literally shattering. Kylie then confronts her friend about getting involved with the guy she was trying to move on from.
There’s been fan speculation that the EP draws from Kylie’s real-life relationships, with Malia Baker & Malachi Barton often mentioned as possible muses. None of that has been confirmed, though, & the story Kylie creates from those emotions is more interesting than figuring out who the songs are about.
That’s where “Girls Like U” becomes one of the EP’s most interesting songs. The track is more confrontational, with a little bit of a rap-pop mood, as Kylie addresses the friend who betrayed her. What makes it work is that she doesn’t suddenly become completely detached. There’s still a part of her that wishes she could forgive this person, but she knows she can’t pretend nothing happened.
Then “Yuck!” takes that same situation somewhere softer. The 90s-inspired production makes the song almost pretty enough to disguise how sad it is. Instead of pure anger, there’s still a soft spot underneath. Kylie can be hurt by someone & still care about them, making the song feel more complicated than a typical breakup anthem.
The EP closes with “Space Between,” & this is where the Valley Girl persona finally seems to disappear. The title carries another layer because of its connection to the Descendants franchise, where Kylie got her biggest break to date. Here, she turns that concept into something more heartbreaking. The “space” is no longer just distance. It represents everything that has happened between two people who used to be each other’s lifelines. It’s probably the most vulnerable moment on the EP. There are no exaggerated Valley Girl phrases or glamorous references to hide behind. Kylie is simply sad. Even if these two people reconnect, there’s still a history between them that can’t be erased.
That emotional progression makes Valley Girl Problems feel like an evolution from Kylie’s previous work. Her first EP, B.O.Y., had the bubblegum pop & R&B influences that made Kylie interesting, but this project feels more cohesive. Sonically, I still prefer parts of B.O.Y., but Valley Girl Problems has a stronger sense of identity.
The 90s & 2000s influence also fits naturally into the EP’s image. It doesn't feel like Kylie is simply recreating Y2K melodies because they’re trendy. Instead, the references feel connected to her influences while still fitting the hyper-feminine, very-online world she’s part of.
If there’s one thing I wanted more of, it is exactly that: more. The EP has strong ideas, but its short runtime means some are introduced before disappearing almost immediately. The interludes help create the cinematic storyline, but they also make the project feel like it ends just as you’re getting invested.
Still, Valley Girl Problems does what it sets out to do. Kylie takes the Valley Girl stereotype & uses it as a mask. Behind the clothes, the glitz, & the glamour is a young woman figuring out how to grow up, let people go, deal with betrayal, & become more comfortable showing the parts of herself that are not always pretty.
It’s not a perfect EP, but it’s a promising one. Kylie is clearly figuring out what she wants her next chapter to sound like, & Valley Girl Problems feels like a glimpse at the artist behind the persona. For an EP that is all about figuring things out, Kylie may still have a few Valley Girl Problems to work through, but I’d give this new chapter a 7.5/10.
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