Photo courtesy of Jordan Keith

Chloe Star is the definition of a modern day rock star. Her latest single, “Wasted Youth”, is no exception.

The song opens with a distorted guitar riff that immediately catches the attention of the listener, followed by lyrics that one can’t help but scream along to. While the melody blends elements of various rock and pop genres, it is the words that make a powerful impact.

The experience behind the lyrics happened a decade ago, but Star feels as though she has finally found the strength to share her story. The lyrics candidly share her journey as she spent three months at the age of 16 at a wilderness treatment program. For her, talking about this time in her life now feels therapeutic.

“The process of writing this song gave me closure from the experience,” she said. “It also gave me the time to truly reflect on what happened and what mark it left on me. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.”

During the songwriting process, it was important to her that the story lined up lyrically. It was a challenging process because of the fear of sharing such a vulnerable experience. It was rewarding in the end, however, because she accomplished what she set out to do.

“This is a storytelling song,” she said. “I talked about how I was isolated, didn't eat much, never knew the time, had nobody I could call, and how that impacted me. I wanted to make sure the listener could visualize the experience I went through.”

She believes that the songwriting process also taught her a lot about herself. She feels that she has a better understanding of reflection and realizes how important it is, even from events that happened more than 10 years ago.

“Sometimes I feel like I just keep things hidden in my pocket because it happened so long ago, but the importance of having things resurface to heal is so key to a healing journey,” she said. “I also learned how important it is to share our experiences with one another. Due to me sharing my story I have had the opportunity to hear others stories. It's all about connection.”

Connection is something she hopes listeners take away from “Wasted Youth” as this song explores how pain can be turned into beauty. She also hopes that it can start a conversation on the “troubled teen industry” by showcasing its impact.

Chloe Star is the definition of a modern day rock star, and nothing is more rock ‘n’ roll than kicking down the doors on the definition of vulnerability.