Joyce Estrada on her new single “Eighteen”

Joyce Estrada

Following her self-defining debut single “In The Fields,” Joyce Estrada returns with “Eighteen,” a song that widens her world while pulling us deeper into her inner life.

Where her first track explored the ache of relying on someone else, “Eighteen” shifts the lens inward. At 17, Joyce is writing about the threshold she hasn’t yet crossed but already feels. Adulthood and the quiet panic of outgrowing the version of yourself you’ve always known. “I haven’t turned eighteen just yet,” she says, “but I can already feel those feelings starting to creep in.” That tension is what gives the single its pulse.

The song came together faster than anything she’s made before. Joyce found a new set of chords, instantly felt connected to them, and wrote the lyrics in about a week. Rhythm definitely was the anchor on this one. If the progression doesn’t feel right, the story won’t either. But this time, everything aligned. She knew the track would be called “Eighteen,” and she knew it had to capture the nerves and longing tucked into the idea of growing up too soon.

Lyrically, the song reads like a conversation with someone wiser, sometimes an older version of herself, sometimes God. It circles a major theme of wanting to retreat to a place untouched by the world’s expectations.

Visually, Joyce chose a softer palette for the single’s cover with a pale pink backdrop and lace that feels both youthful and reflective. It was her first time leading a whole creative shoot, working with photographer Jessica Eshete and her best friend Camilla in a small studio. For Joyce, directing the vision herself made the project feel like she was officially stepping into the next chapter of her artistry.

Unlike her debut, she kept “Eighteen” close to herself before release. No early listens for family or friends, no quiet reveals. She wanted this one to arrive as a surprise. “This song is a lot more intimate,” she explains.

And although she won’t give details yet, she hints that “Eighteen” is part of something larger. “I’ve been writing a lot. I have plans to release a lot of songs. Hopefully soon.”

Her advice remains the same for young musicians: “not everyone will love what you share, but someone will. If it pulls you forward, trust it. The rest will meet you where you are.”