Photo by: Matilda Hill-Jenkins
With ‘Shotgun’, London-based electronic pop artist Girl Next Door steps into her most vibrant and ambitious era yet. The first glimpse of forthcoming sophomore EP The Internet Belonged To Girls, the single captures the thrill, confusion and nostalgia of growing up online through a dazzling blend of euphoric synth-pop, experimental electronics and deeply personal storytelling.
The project of producer, songwriter and vocalist Sarah Carton, Girl Next Door has always existed in the space between emotional honesty and sonic experimentation. Described by Carton as “diary entries with synths”, the project transforms personal experiences into immersive electronic worlds, combining the immediacy of pop songwriting with the boundary-pushing instincts of leftfield electronica and hyperpop. On ‘Shotgun’, that balance feels more refined than ever.
Where previous releases have often explored darker emotional territory, ‘Shotgun’ embraces brightness and movement. Built around sparkling synths, shimmering textures and an instantly memorable hook, the track feels like a rush of adrenaline captured in sound. Produced by Carton alongside James Middleton of Manchester electronic innovators Porij, the single creates a dreamlike atmosphere where memories, fantasies and reality blur together.
At its heart, ‘Shotgun’ is a song about the intensity of youthful infatuation: those fleeting moments where one night, one person or one experience feels like it could change everything. Carton perfectly captures that dizzy feeling of possibility, soundtracking late-night drives, imagined adventures and endless summers with a production style that feels both nostalgic and futuristic.
The brilliance of the track lies in its ability to embrace contradiction. It is euphoric yet bittersweet, carefree yet reflective, a celebration of adolescence that also recognises the uncertainty beneath it. The shimmering electronic layers create a sense of escape, while Carton’s songwriting grounds the track with emotional detail and genuine vulnerability.
That sense of nostalgia is central to the upcoming The Internet Belonged To Girls EP, a project that looks beyond simple internet nostalgia to explore the complicated reality of being part of the first generation to grow up online. Referencing an era of MSN Messenger, MySpace profiles, glitter graphics and early online communities, Girl Next Door examines a period when the internet felt more personal, creative and unpredictable.
Rather than simply romanticising the past, Carton explores both the freedom and emotional complexity of digital girlhood. The internet became a place to experiment with identity, create new versions of ourselves and find connection, but it also introduced new forms of insecurity and isolation. ‘Shotgun’ captures that duality beautifully, sounding like a memory that has been polished by time but still carries traces of uncertainty.
Vocally, Carton delivers the track with a perfect balance of intimacy and confidence. Her performance feels conversational yet cinematic, like a private thought transformed into a huge electronic anthem. That contrast has become one of Girl Next Door’s defining strengths: creating music that feels deeply personal while still built for shared experiences.
Following support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music, Radio X and a growing list of tastemaker outlets, Girl Next Door continues to establish herself as one of the UK’s most exciting emerging electronic artists. Her work as a collaborator with artists including OMNOM, Delta Heavy, 49th & Main and Ekko & Sidetrack further highlights her versatility as both a songwriter and vocalist, but ‘Shotgun’ feels like a moment where her own artistic identity takes centre stage.
With its glittering production, emotional clarity and celebration of digital-era nostalgia, ‘Shotgun’ is a thrilling introduction to The Internet Belonged To Girls. It captures the strange beauty of growing up online: the fantasy, the chaos, the heartbreak and the unforgettable moments that remain long after the screen goes dark.
For Girl Next Door, this is more than nostalgia. It is a reclamation of a generation’s memories, transformed into an irresistible electronic pop universe of her own.
