Review: "Red Thunder" - Keara

We’ve all sat at a red light for too long at some point in our lives, just waiting and waiting for it to finally turn green so we can get on with our day. The problem with that is that red lights sometimes give us time to think, and when you’re going through something, it can be troublesome to have a spare moment to dwell on it. Keara’s “Red Thunder” is exactly that, harnessing that feeling of being trapped in a car with nothing but your thoughts and the red flash of the traffic lights on your face– not to mention sitting right next to the person you can’t stop thinking about. Wrapped in a gentle yet energetic soundscape, this single is delightfully contradictory with a cheerful tone that juxtaposes its melancholy lyrics. It’s the kind of song that makes listeners feel heard and seen, with a story that we can all relate to– and even if all your thinking happens not at a red light, you can still understand the sentiment of being stuck in one place with nothing but your thoughts and the person who is central to them.

What strikes me most about “Red Thunder” is the atmosphere. The song begins with this super soft guitar, which quickly builds into the song’s overall soundscape. It’s bright and breezy, easy to tap your foot along to and hum with. It's also joined by a smooth underlying bass, which is by far the quickest way to get me to like a song. And once you dive deeper and really listen to the lyrics, you get a brilliant story and message to go with it. But before I talk about the lyrics, I’d love to just mention how clever I think the song’s title is– indicative of both the flash of a red traffic light and sudden, lightning-like realizations, “Red Thunder” is such a witty name for a song that deals with both of these things. The track muses on a relationship that is currently going through a rough patch, with the narrator being imprisoned at a red traffic light and being stuck thinking about the fight they had with their partner, with said partner sitting beside them. Lines such as “Time stops with you” and “Lost, in a wave of you” are evocative of how confined the narrator feels both physically and temporally, cornered by their memories and their partner. “Red Thunder” certainly knows how to capture that tension while simultaneously providing a soundscape that keeps us singing along.

Originally hailing from Brandon, Manitoba, singer-songwriter Keara has been pursuing her music career for the past three years in Montréal. Her musical style can be likened to artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Gracie Abrams– Keara's soundscapes are infused with personal, emotional messages and a diary-like feel to their lyricism, joined by a softness in their tones. Her debut single was released in 2024, entitled “Shaelyn”, and was followed in 2025 with “Red Thunder”. “Red Thunder” was especially inspired during Keara’s move to Montréal, during a time when she was looking out at the road and watching the traffic lights turn from green to red. This is only the beginning for Keara; if you enjoyed “Red Thunder”, drop her a follow so you can be notified of her upcoming projects!

Written By Alexa Leung

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