Malea Emma Releases New Single and Music Video “Better Off This Way” from the End Credits of Short Film Sunflower Girl

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Malea Emma has kicked off 2026 with the release of her first single of the year, “Better Off This Way”, featured in the end credits of Holly M. Kaplan‘s short film Sunflower Girl. The original track arrives alongside an accompanying music video, offering audiences a more intimate extension of the film’s story. It acts as the follow-up to her previous single “Bukan Cinta”.

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“Better Off This Way” was written by Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja alongside Sunny Chen, with production, mixing, and mastering handled by Dylan Gardner. Rather than functioning as a standalone release, the song was directly inspired by the film’s narrative and characters, offering a natural continuation that adds further emotional depth to the story.

Built around gentle guitar chords, Malea Emma’s vocals blend seamlessly with the rhythm, coming together to create a warm, layered sound that feels both intimate and carefully crafted. The folk-inspired indie-pop track is rich in warmth and emotion, with piano notes and subtle nature sounds added to expand the song’s intimate and charming tone. Lyrically, it captures a fleeting moment of youthful romance, ultimately concluding that the two are better off apart—for now. The subtle Avril Lavigne “Sk8er Boi” reference within the lyrics highlights Malea Emma’s thoughtful songwriting and her ability to translate the film’s themes into an engaging and emotionally resonant track.

The song is closely tied to Sunflower Girl, a coming-of-age short film supported by a grant from Netflix and recently released on Omeleto’s YouTube channel. Written, directed, and produced by Holly M. Kaplan, the 13-minute film stars Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja—also recognised for her role opposite Colin Farrell in A24’s After Yang—and follows Rosie, a Chinese-American skater girl in New York City, as she faces a defining choice between family responsibility and youthful independence.

Speaking about the origins of the track, Holly M. Kaplan explained that Malea Emma felt compelled to write the song after reading an early version of the script. That response played a significant role in shaping the creative collaboration, reinforcing the decision to cast her in the lead role and allowing the music to emerge organically from the film’s emotional core.

The music video for “Better Off This Way,” directed and edited by Holly M. Kaplan, blends never-before-seen Super 8 footage with intimate behind-the-scenes moments from Sunflower Girl. Cinematography by Zhejian Michael Cong and Luna Cristales, paired with film scanning and processing by Negativeland, gives the video a warm, nostalgic texture that mirrors the film’s soft, summery aesthetic. Through glimpses of playful rehearsals, candid interactions, and fleeting moments of city life, the visuals capture the spirit of Rosie’s story while offering a personal, almost diary-like perspective on the creative process. The result is a charming and layered accompaniment to the song, one that enhances the emotional resonance of both the music and the film itself.

The themes running through “Better Off This Way” align closely with Sunflower Girl, drawing from the same emotional space explored on screen. Through subtle nods to skate culture and moments of emotional uncertainty, the song reinforces Rosie’s internal conflict and deepens the connection between the film and its closing credits.

Sunflower Girl follows Rosie, played by Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, a young Chinese-American skateboarder in New York City, as she navigates the tension between youthful freedom and family responsibility. When her mother, Kim, played by Fanny Lawren, asks her to deliver a forgotten lunchbox to her younger sister, Amy, played by Abigail Lopez, Rosie is confronted with a simple task that carries unexpected emotional weight.

Along the way, she encounters her crush, Skylar, played by Cairo Zion, and his friend Cooper, played by Daniel Girdo. The thrill of skateboarding, friendship, and first flirtations pulls her toward a moment of carefree independence. Choosing to join Skylar instead of completing her errand, Rosie experiences the joy and freedom of youth—but her responsibility to her sister soon catches up, forcing her to reckon with the consequences of her choice.

At its heart, the film is a tender exploration of growing up and the delicate balance between personal desire and duty. It illustrates how, as children, we sometimes disregard responsibilities we do not yet fully understand, and how the repercussions of those choices can quickly become clear. Through its quiet, everyday moments, Sunflower Girl captures Rosie’s internal struggle with warmth and authenticity, showing how small decisions in youth can carry surprising emotional weight.

The performances across the cast are understated and compelling, with Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja bringing Rosie’s eagerness, hesitation, and youthful bravado to life with subtle precision. Skylar and Cooper’s playful energy, Amy’s innocence, and Kim’s grounded presence all contribute to a relatable and heartfelt narrative. The film lingers on reflective moments, culminating in the closing line, “The people that know your real name are the only ones left in the end”, a sentiment that resonates long after the final scene. Sunflower Girl is a sweet, heartfelt coming-of-age story that portrays the joys and consequences of youth, the pull of family, and the fleeting magic of growing up in a bustling city.

Behind the scenes, Sunflower Girl is brought to life by a talented creative team, with support from a Netflix grant. Holly M. Kaplan served as writer, director, and producer, with Seika Paradeis producing and Michael Cong as director of photography. Mischelle Moy designed the production, Hailey Choi handled editing, Delu Duan provided sound design, and Dan Wang crafted the costumes. Casting was overseen by Sunny Chen, while Max Ship acted as Music Supervisor, and the festival distribution was managed by Sebastián Nadilo, and DCP services were provided by Nice Dissolve. Each contributor helped shape the film’s intimate, nostalgic, and heartfelt world.

It’s this same emotional honesty that carries over into the end-credits song. With “Better Off This Way”, Malea Emma bridges music and storytelling in a way that feels intrinsically tied to the film it accompanies. As both the song and music video are released, audiences are invited to revisit Sunflower Girl through a musical lens—adding an extra layer of insight into the characters and their journey.

“Better Off This Way”, by Malea Emma, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via Sunflower Girl LLC.

Share this article and tag us @GoodStarVibes to let us know what you make of Malea Emma’s new single “Better Off This Way”, which is from the end credits of Holly M. Kaplan’s short film Sunflower Girl.