B-Side Guys

Creation myths often begin with darkness or chaos before illumination arrives. On “What If?,” Orlando’s Cat Ridgeway transforms cannabis-induced woodland disorientation into existential exploration, demonstrating how physical lostness can trigger metaphysical discovery.

The track—final single from her forthcoming album “Sprinter”—opens with deceptively straightforward questioning: “If parallel universes exist / How many versions of this life have I lived?” This cosmic inquiry immediately establishes both intellectual curiosity and emotional vulnerability, characteristics that permeate Ridgeway’s distinctive approach to indie rock. The instrumental arrangement mirrors this duality, with the unexpected combination of banjo, trumpet, and baritone saxophone creating textural dissonance that somehow coheres into something both jarring and harmonious.

What elevates “What If?” beyond standard stoner philosophy is Ridgeway’s genuine wrestling with multiverse implications. When she sings “Would every choice I’ve ever made / Need its own universe to play out in?” she’s not merely contemplating infinity but examining personal agency. This reflection on choice and consequence gains poignancy through her delivery—simultaneously playful and profound, suggesting the fragile boundary between intellectual exercise and emotional reckoning.

The production brilliantly captures the song’s genesis in La Grange, Georgia’s Butterfly House, where Ridgeway’s edible-enhanced woodland wandering (which hilariously never took her more than 50 yards from her cabin) sparked cosmic contemplation. The percussive beat provides grounding counterpoint to the more ethereal instrumental flourishes, creating musical polarities that mirror the lyrical exploration of parallel realities.

Most affecting is Ridgeway’s exploration of mortality across dimensions: “all the stupid ways I died / But that somehow I survived in this life / I’m alright.” This acknowledgment of simultaneous tragedy and survival across imagined timelines creates remarkable emotional depth, suggesting how contemplating alternative outcomes can generate gratitude for present reality.

The track’s repeated refrain—”Welcome to a world of possibility / There’s a billion and one / And another 93″—transforms what could be existential overwhelm into celebration of potential. Ridgeway’s delivery conveys genuine wonder rather than philosophical posturing, creating infectious enthusiasm that makes cosmic contemplation feel inviting rather than intimidating.

As a self-taught multi-instrumentalist with audio-visual synesthesia (she literally sees colors and shapes while creating music), Ridgeway brings unique perceptual dimensions to her work that perfectly suit “What If?”. The track demonstrates how her “indie rock for overthinkers” descriptor applies not just to lyrical content but to compositional approach—each instrumental choice serving both the song’s philosophical exploration and its emotional core.

“What If?” establishes Ridgeway as an artist capable of transforming altered consciousness into altered perspective—finding universal questions in personal disorientation while maintaining both humor and profundity throughout the journey.