As fragile and resilient as its name: Oyster. Chloe Moriondo’s 2025 album is like an unexpected pearl emerging from a seashell — both delicate and dazzling. It’s a narrative that moves from the turbulent waves of love to the salt of heartbreak, before finding its own shores.
“Hate It” – The Rhythm of Rebellion
One of the album’s opening tracks, “Hate It” stands as one of Moriondo’s sharpest edges. The explosion of hyperpop beats merges with anger, transforming into a punk spirit through the riffs. It’s not just a rebellion, it’s also a confrontation. Here, there’s a voice unafraid of losing itself.
“Shoreline” – Leaning into a Quiet Wave
In stark contrast, “Shoreline” resonates on a different frequency — like a melancholy beach walk in the late afternoon. Simple vocals blend with delicate synth layers, delivering the emotion without exaggeration or omission. Chloe doesn’t shout here; she simply speaks. And sometimes, that resonates even louder.
“Abyss” – An Echo from the Depths
Perhaps one of the heaviest punches on the album is “Abyss”. True to its name, it’s boundless and its melody is unsettling. Moriondo’s voice nearly dissolves in the middle of the track — as if it can’t carry itself any longer. This is the very heart of the shell: raw, vulnerable, and real.
Oyster – From Heartbreak to Rebirth
Chloe expresses the emotional transformation and personal journey she went through while creating her album as follows:
"it is hard to put into words how much this album means to me without it sounding silly so i’ll just say them anyways. it’s gonna be long but i’ll add a TLDR at the end i promise. i love you. 🌫️ in the beginning of 2023 i truly could not see the light at the surface. i felt isolated in ways i’d never felt before.. embarrassing, heartbreaking, angry, guilty, ugly feelings. after some vaguely harrowing time to myself that was full of trial and so, so much error... i felt ready to write about It, about the experiences i had gone through since It, and about how much i’ve grown and learned about myself (good and bad) since the beginning of that year. 🦪 oyster is a culmination of many things. newfound independence that makes you feel like a baby turtle trying to make it to sea for the first time on your own, horrible habits and all-encompassing infatuations that cling to you like urchins, self-reflection, self-scrutiny, crying, laughing, dancing, and swimming. i love this project so much and i truly can’t explain how personal this one feels to me. it’s the first one i really felt like i did “on my own.” if you catch my sad little drift. 🌊 but.. i DIDN’T do it on my own :’) i had a wonderful team of people supporting me the entire time (even when i was being a miserable slug). i had some of the coolest individuals i’ve ever had the pleasure of working with tinkering with me on some of my most personal(/best, in my opinion) songs. i had fantastic artists (some i had even so sweetly connected with through fanart! :’3) working with me on the album cover, merch, admats, and more. and you know what’s coming . i had U . it sounds fucking stupid but i had YOU . little u on the other side of the screen, leaving sweet words from across states and countries, being supportive and gentle and attentive and wonderful like you’ve always been with me. i can’t thank you enough for waiting and being kind. i promise it was just as hard for me to wait with you. TLDR: heartbreak —> saltwater rebirth. oyster is out. i love it, i love you, and i love making music."
These words show that Oyster is not just a musical work, but also a reflection of Chloe’s inner exploration and growth. Each song on the album tells the story of her heartbreaks, rebirth, and her efforts to find herself throughout the process. With this album, Chloe truly feels like she has found herself.
Chloe Moriondo tells a story that dances between genres in Oyster. The energy of pop-punk, the introspection of indie pop, and the explosiveness of hyperpop all come together in one thing: feeling. This album is not meant to be listened to in passing; it’s meant to be lived in the moment.
