There is a large chance I have already started an article this way. But I have to make a playlist called “These Songs Will Punch You In The Face And Heart”, because this new track from Khyla Granstrom called “Too Big for a Small World” will do just that. I’ve listened to the song about a dozen times and every time, I come away out of breath.
Granstrom, of British Columbia, calls “Too Big for a Small World” “a love letter to her eight-year-old self”, in that it addresses the body image issues she faced growing up. From stick-thin celebrities getting more screen time on TV to her classmates shrinking themselves to look like supermodels in magazines, Granstrom found herself in the terrible position of hating her body.
“To be honest, I still struggle with these thoughts,” Granstrom says. “I don’t think they will ever fully go away, but I’m trying to find that peace where I can feel comfortable with the body I have, and accept it for what it is, no matter how it changes.”
Granstrom’s new song touches on the issues surrounding society’s view of body image: Big business profiting off insecurity, fashion designers ignoring larger sizes in their products, TV writers shoehorning bigger actors in friend or support roles and never the main character or love interest. And while Granstrom says society has made incremental changes for the better, there is still a lot of work to do. “But if my song can bring even a little reassurance or comfort to someone who is struggling with their body the way I’ve struggled,” she says, “I will know that the hardship was not for nothing.
The song doesn’t just show off Granstrom’s vulnerable lyrics: As a seasoned musician, she crafts her voice into lush harmonies that sing to uplift beaten spirits. With just a piano and guitar to accompany the vocal layers, “Too Big for a Small World” offers tenderness and understanding for anyone needing quiet strength to lift them out of self-doubt.
“This song’s topic has been something I’ve actually wanted to write about for a very long time,” Granstrom says. And finally, “Too Big for a Small World” is out there for all who might need it, myself included. Take a listen below to allow this song to punch you in the face and heart, if necessary.
Written by Will Sisskind
