Unless you haven't turned the TV on in a while or don't use any social media platforms, you've probably heard of at least a few of these pop sensations sometime this summer. Women have taken to the top of music charts by storm: whether it's Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso," Charli xcx's "360," or Chappell Roan's "Femininomenon," pop songs from women have quickly circulated around the world and internet with their addictive beats and unabashed lyrics.
While these summer tunes are certainly catchy, some have labeled them as "recession pop," a term for pop music that gains popularity during economic recessions for its high BPMs, bright styles, and carefree lyrics. A few examples of recession pop songs are "Just Dance" by Lady Gage (2008), "Tik Tok" by Ke$ha (2009), and Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) by Katy Perry (2011), all of which focus on living life in the moment and dancing your financial troubles away (and if you're interested in more recession pop music analysis, check out this video and others from the same channel). While today's pop from women certainly focuses on community and escapism like their predecessors, there are also new features to this pop music that warrant a closer look.
This summer highlights newer pop stars as well as resurrects stars of the past. Take for instance Sabrina Carpenter: she's not a "new" pop singer, but her latest singles "Espresso" and "Please, Please, Please" pushed her to the center-stage of the pop world. The irony of her innocent, sweet, "just a girl" demeanor contrasting heavily with the actions in her music videos (i.e. stealing from and kidnapping a man) adds to the humor and fun of her persona, and she'll likely continue to be popular throughout the year. On the other end of the spectrum, there are older pop artists who are making a comeback this summer. You may recognize Charli xcx from her previous hits, such as "Boom Clap" from 2014 or "Boys" from 2017; however, her latest album "brat" has revamped her image. The songs from "brat" depict a party girl with multiple dimensions: though she wants to have fun, she also grapples with heavy themes, such as generational trauma (as seen in "Apple"), falling behind in life as a 31-year-old woman without children ("I Think About It All The Time"), and thoughts of suicide ("Sympathy is a knife"). This addictive party album, while providing women with an escape, also opens the door for discussion on deeper topics, such as female friendships, women's "biological clocks," and family dynamics. Similarly, previous pop icon Kesha has recently released a new single, her first from leaving behind RCA and Kemosabe Records. "Joyride" is a quirky and incredibly catchy song about a woman taking matters into her own hands, loving herself, and having fun. While certainly an escapist pop banger, "Joyride" also gives off campy vibes and many members of the queer community have accepted it as a cult classic already.
What's really exciting about some of these summer pop songs is that they center women and WLW relationships. For example, Billie Eilish's "LUNCH" from her newest album "Hit Me Hard and Soft" has a song dedicated to Billie finding a woman sexually attractive. This is huge, as Billie has previously denied having same-sex attraction, making this a bit of a "coming out" song (ironic, as many women likely discovered more about themselves too after hearing the lyrics and seeing her music video). This new direction is exciting: while Billie has always been a bit out of the norm in terms of her music and androgynous style, the fact that she's managed to get a WLW song mainstream is promising for LGBTQIA+ pop fans who seek more normalized representation.
While Billie's new album poses women liking women as an option, Chappell Roan's album from late last year, "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess," almost completely centers around women. Whether it's leaving her hometown behind for a more LGBTQIA+ inclusive community (as seen in "Pink Pony Club"), lamenting a girl who fell victim to compulsive heterosexuality (like in "Good Luck, Babe!"), or needing a "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" to dance and make-out with, Chappel focuses her music entirely on a woman's experience. Her lyrics, dancing, and costuming manages to be sexually charged while still centering women and not catering to male fantasies, and much of her style and persona takes inspiration from drag, a performance style that over-exaggerates gendered features and allows users to have fun and parodize gender performance. Though Chappell's music is primarily about queerness and women, her music can certainly be enjoyed by all.
As a queer woman, Chappell is making a statement that lesbians and other WLW people are here and deserving of representation in the pop industry. While it's true that her music could fall into the category of recession pop, her influence, along with her contemporaries', has certainly started a femininomenon.
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