No one can ever accuse Caroline Polachek of not paying attention to details. Her 2023 album, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, is a deep, 12-song exploration of various feelings and moods, including love and (naturally) desire, so there was probably never any doubt she would release the album on any other day than Valentine’s Day. “Welcome to My Island,” whose meaning we delve into below, is both its leadoff track and most popular song in terms of airplay on alternative rock radio stations.
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In the context of the album’s theme, “Welcome to My Island” is exactly what it says it is—an introduction into Polachek’s interior world. As has been the case with much of Polachek’s music going back to her days as a member of Chairlift, “Welcome to My Island” is highly intense. Before you set foot in Polachek’s inner world, be sure to buckle up, because it’s a wild ride.
Is Polachek’s “Island” a Fun Getaway…or a Vacation from Hell?
“Welcome to My Island” begins with Polachek unleashing her operatically-trained voice, which quickly escalates into a scream. When she finally greets us with the album’s first lyrics, the flatly-delivered spoken-word message is more than a little ominous.
Welcome to my island
See the palm trees wave in the wind
Welcome to my island
Hope you like me, you ain’t leaving
By the time we get to the song’s bridge, Polachek lets listeners know what’s waiting for them at the tropical Hotel California of her psyche.
I am my father’s daughter in the end
He says watch your ego, watch your head, girl,
You’re so smart, so talented
But now the water’s turning red
The allusion to her father, James Polacheck (who died in 2020 from COVID-19) is not a comforting one. Polachek told Apple Music her father thought her music was too lightweight. But whatever his judgments were of her choices in music and in life, she said “he wasn’t good at living his own life.” With her late father’s voice all too present in her own head, Polachek is grappling with whether to trust herself with her own passions and ego. Combating her father’s voice is Polachek’s inner “brat,” who tells her to Go forget the rules, forget your friends / Just you and your reflection.
That message is reinforced in the chorus, where Polachek sings, Desire, I want to turn into you, which essentially makes “Welcome to My Island” the album’s title track. Ultimately, the song is about Polachek’s ego encouraging her to pursue her desires so thoroughly that she becomes indistinguishable from them. It’s a mood that, on this track, Polachek indulges thoroughly, and she gives the same treatment to feelings of solitude, strength, and bliss on the album’s other songs.
[RELATED: Caroline Polachek Writes Aria for Kurt Cobain Opera]
About “Welcome to My Island”’s Songwriters
Polacheck is “Welcome to My Island”’s principal songwriter. In addition to writing or co-writing every song on her four solo albums (the first two recorded under the names of Ramona Lisa and CEP, respectively) and on Chairlift’s three albums, Polachek has co-written songs for Charli XCX and Beyoncé (the latter effort earning her a 2014 Grammy nomination).
Jim-E Stack and Dan Nigro also have writing credits for “Welcome to My Island,” as well as co-production credits with Polachek, Danny L Harle, and A.G. Cook. Stack has co-written songs for numerous artists, including Bon Iver and Gracie Abrams. Nigro, who also plays guitar on “Welcome to My Island,” has co-written songs for Kylie Minogue, Billy Idol, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lewis Capaldi, and Olivia Rodrigo, among many others.
The Impact of “Welcome to My Island”
Though it was the fourth single released from Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, “Welcome to My Island” was the first single from the album to enter onto a Billboard chart, peaking at No. 40 on the Alternative Airplay rankings. Polachek performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in March 2023. Staying true to the song’s lyrics, Polachek appeared alone on stage, accompanied only by her own reflection.
In addition to making several major publications’ year-end Top 10 album lists in 2023, Desire is Polacheck’s highest entry on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart, either as a solo artist or as a member of Chairlift. The album peaked at No. 19.
For those looking for an introduction to Polachek’s music, “Welcome to My Island” is an ideal place to start. Even more so than her biggest hit to date, “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” it showcases her flair for writing lyrics that bring surreal images, as well as her exquisite vocals, to life.
Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
