SARIKA’s “What I Wanted” Is a Sharp, Honest Pop Confession Wrapped in Indie Glow

There’s a moment in SARIKA’s latest single “What I Wanted” that just stops you in your tracks. “Don’t tell me what I wanted, ‘cause you didn’t want to try”—it’s the kind of line that doesn’t ask for your attention, it demands it. Delivered with quiet fire and clarity, it cuts right to the heart of a relationship so many of us know all too well: the one where you're willing to fight for something someone else has already given up on.

SARIKA, the Boston-based singer-songwriter known for blending wit, warmth, and razor-sharp lyrics, is stepping into a new era with “What I Wanted.” It’s the perfect follow-up to her EP Lessons Not Learned, a project filled with smart, theatrical takes on love and heartbreak. But this new single? It’s something different. It’s cleaner, sharper, and leans hard into modern pop without losing the storytelling charm that makes SARIKA so irresistible.

There’s a maturity to “What I Wanted” that’s hard to miss. It’s the sound of someone who knows what they deserve, even when they’re still untangling the ache of not getting it. The production flows effortlessly around SARIKA’s vocals—soft in one breath, bold in the next. She rides the melody with an ease that makes it feel almost conversational, like a late-night voice memo you’d send to a friend after yet another misread text or half-hearted apology.

What sets this song apart, though, is the emotional balance SARIKA strikes. It’s frustrated but not bitter, honest but not unkind. She’s not writing from a place of revenge—she’s writing from clarity. That makes the track not just relatable, but strangely comforting. Like someone finally said what you’ve been trying to say in your head for weeks.

Musically, “What I Wanted” fits right alongside the work of Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams, and Taylor Swift, but it’s still uniquely SARIKA. There’s a kind of theater-kid-meets-bedroom-pop energy to her delivery—grounded, self-aware, and just dramatic enough to make you smirk even as you feel the sting of every word.

As she leans further into this modern pop sound, SARIKA is proving she doesn’t have to sacrifice substance for style. “What I Wanted” is catchy, yes—but it’s also a gut-punch. It’s the anthem for when you’re finally done making excuses for someone who never really showed up.

So go ahead—play it loud. Text your best friend the lyrics. Dance around your room in that outfit you bought to feel better. SARIKA just gave us the soundtrack for letting go, and it’s exactly what we needed.

“What I Wanted” is out now on all major streaming platforms. You’ll want to put this one on repeat.

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