WARNING: Explicit Language
“If telling the truth makes me the villain, then the villain I shall be”.
I’m Critter Highway, an EDM artist based out of Portland, Oregon. My album “A Villain’s Take on love” was born from sleepless nights and coping with CPTSD responses daily. Staying silent about my childhood sexual assault abuse had become unbearable, and I needed a safe outlet to express the level of rage I was experiencing. Music has always created a sense of safety for me, even in the coldest moments.
Like many survivors, after speaking out about the abuse I endured, I lost relationships with people I was close with. Telling the truth had made me the “villain”, even though what happened was not my fault.
Song List:
- Obsolete
- Cold Blooded Hallucination
- SNAP* (trigger warning / hurtful comments)
- Psycho
- Heat
- Cosmic Fields
The songs on this album move through a range of emotions, from valuelessness, denial, rage, empowerment, and fighting for hope. “Obsolete” faces the stage of feeling like I didn’t have any value outside of my silence. “Cold Blooded Hallucination” was written as I tried to deny the flashbacks I was experiencing. After Trump was elected into office again, I broke, which is represented in the song “SNAP”. This transitions into wild rage in the song “Psycho”.
Sharing moments of victory was important for me to include in this project. That is represented in the song “Heat”. I’ve been on this healing journey for a very long time, and finding pleasure in intimacy again has been a goal I’ve been actively working towards. It’s been extremely challenging, but working with members of the kink community has shown huge progress for me.
Like all of my albums, “A Villain’s Take on Love” ends with a deep feeling of hope. “Cosmic Fields” is bright with enduring persistence towards love. It’s my intention to empower other survivors to find their joy. One day at a time. Never give up.
~Critter Highway, Artist & Survivor
About the Creator
Critter Highway
Critter Highway is a music producer based out of Portland, Oregon. She creates songs under the foundations of electronic dance music. Driven to make art based out of her experience in life, Critter Highway’s music discusses themes based in sexual assault and coping with CPTSD. As a survivor and a creative, she wants to provide as much visibility as possible to aid the ongoing healing process that so many people live with every day.