growing down

Released in June 2025, 'growing down' represents a pivot for salem ilese toward a more introspective and sonically sparse direction. Following her reputation for high-concept, brand-integrated pop (like 'Mad at Disney'), this eight-track collection focuses on the internal landscape of 'Peter Pan syndrome' and the anxieties of modern adulthood. The album is notable for its brevity, with most tracks hovering around the two-and-a-half-minute mark, reflecting a TikTok-era sensibility for concise storytelling while maintaining a cohesive, somber emotional arc. Musically, it moves away from the maximalist dance-pop of her earlier work, favoring indie-pop and chamber-pop textures. Critical reception noted the album's ability to weaponize her signature deadpan delivery to convey genuine vulnerability rather than just irony. It stands as her most mature work to date, ironically titled to reflect the universal feeling of being unprepared for the responsibilities of maturity.