Emily Ricks – Can’t Catch Me

“Emily Ricks turns a restless alt-pop rush into something impossible to ignore.”

Emily Ricks has a lot going on around “Can’t Catch Me,” but the song itself does not need all the extra noise to get your attention. It has a clear pop instinct. It moves quickly, has a strong electronic pulse, and carries the kind of energy that makes sense in an animated world like Inanimate Insanity. At the same time, it still sounds like a real step forward for Ricks as an independent artist. The synth-driven production gives “Can’t Catch Me” its first spark. There is a sense of movement in the track that matches the title. You can almost picture someone trying to stay one step ahead of everything around them. The song has that playful edge, but it is not empty fun. Ricks has spent years using music as a place to put feelings that were harder to express elsewhere, and that background gives her pop writing a little more weight.

What I like about Ricks is that she has not tried to separate her different creative lives. Her background in voice acting is obviously part of the story, especially with her new role as Éclair in Inanimate Insanity. But “Can’t Catch Me” does not come across like a novelty song made to fit an animated series. It stands on its own. The connection to the show simply gives it another place to live. The timing around the release is also worth paying attention to. Ricks is completely independent and has no label behind her, yet “Can’t Catch Me” has already pulled in more than 100,000 organic Spotify streams in just three days, according to the release information. The reported 9.4 streams per listener is another interesting sign. People are not simply clicking once and moving on. They are coming back.

That kind of response makes more sense when you look at her previous single, “Call It Falling.” Ricks has already shown that she can make energetic rock-pop that connects quickly. “Can’t Catch Me” takes that idea into a more synth-heavy space. It feels brighter and more electronic, while still keeping her vocal presence at the center. There is also something quite refreshing about how DIY the whole thing is. Ricks grew up making music privately before deciding to put it out into the world. She learned drums first, then piano and guitar. Now those years of playing and writing are starting to show in a much bigger way. Her story could easily become the main focus here, but the music deserves the attention. “Can’t Catch Me” is catchy without feeling disposable. It has personality, movement, and enough attitude to make you want to hear it again. With the song reaching a growing audience and landing inside Inanimate Insanity, Emily Ricks is showing that her music career is no side project. She is building something of her own, and people are starting to catch on.