Interesting article on the pop girl domination of the moment and the cultural reset taking place. Thought it’s worth a share. :)

 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c97d3v8vpl3o

 

“It's so confusing sometimes to be a girl," sings Charli XCX on her latest album, Brat.

 

The vulnerable lyrics, existential questions and honest exploration of the complexity and contradictions of womanhood has turned Brat into much more than a collection of music.

 

For millennials and Gen Z, it reflects a highly relatable way of life.

Brat is, in the words of Charli XCX, a girl who "has a breakdown, but kind of like parties through it", who is honest, blunt, "a little bit volatile". In recent weeks, brat has become a mainstream phenomenon.

In the same week that my grandmother told me one of her friends was “giving brat”, Charli tweeted “Kamala IS brat” and the US Democratic presidential nominee rebranded her X profile.

 

Kamala Harris's team changed her X picture to match the slime green background of the Brat album

Charli isn't the only pop girl ditching the bland approach.

The likes of Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter aren’t your typical perfectly polished and carefully manicured pop stars: they’re messy and candid artists that wear their heart on their sleeve. Both have been dominating the charts this summer.

They all stand out because they share a certain perspective on life. They appear honest and authentic, with opinions and life experience.

 

There are only so many times you can bop to songs with slick beats and meaningless mantras about girl power. Eventually you crave something more, and that’s what this new wave of pop girl is offering.

In Brat, Charli candidly explores what it’s like transitioning into your thirties. In her truth-telling hit Von Dutch she doesn’t care if people gossip about her, while her high-energy anthems 360 and 365 are wild, carefree and tell us that we can still have big nights out (phew!).

 

At the same time, she offers a personal and introspective reflection on topics such as Motherhood: "I think about it all the time / That I might run out of time / Would it give my life a new purpose?"

The existential questions resonate with most millennial women. Should I be having children? When is the right time? Will it change my life? What if I have other aspirations?

 

 

Josee Malon, a 23-year-old social executive from Kent, says she admires Charli because she gives fans “such an insightful look into her creative mindset and her personality and you don’t get this with all musicians”.

“Beyoncé, for example, is private and mysterious, some people think that's part of her allure and appeal, but for me that works against her. Why would I want to be influenced by someone who gives me zero energy?

"Charli XCX gives 110% energy, she lets you into her life and feels like a friend."

It’s not just women who are a fan of these pop girls. Spencer Caminsky, a 26-year-old political campaign manager, has followed Charli since 2016 and loves Brat because “it’s so much more raw and direct”.

"It’s all the great things about her past works and now expands upon the more vulnerable aspects of her life that she’s never spoken about - you really feel her emotion and regret."

Meanwhile, 26-year-old queer pop icon Chappell Roan has built a strong Gen Z following.

Although not the first queer female pop artist, her drag queen outfits, sexually empowered lyrics and scorching-hot melodies make her one of the most mainstream.

Chappell's music focuses heavily on her queer identity - Pink Pony Club was inspired by her first visit to a gay club, while Good Luck, Babe is about a fling with a girl who insists she's not really gay.

Jonah Graham, 25, says he's a fan of Chappell's "unashamedly queer" music because she "lets people know there is a place for them to come together through big emotions, an irreverent sense of humour and boundless joy".

 

Roan was brought up in a conservative family where she attended church three times a week and was taught that being gay was a sin

But even without having the same experiences that Chappell sings of, the themes of rejection, freedom, acceptance and self-discovery are universal.

Kamala Harris has also leaned into Roan in a bid to appeal to young voters, posting a meme on TikTok quoting Roan’s lyrics: "What we really need is a femininomenon!"

While Ms Harris isn’t part of the demographic that Chappell and Charli resonate most with, and almost certainly isn’t “someone who has a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter and a strappy white top with no bra", according to Charli’s brat definition, that isn't the point.

Lucy Ford, a culture critic, told the BBC that “Kamala is brat in the sense that she's a dominating cultural force right now and there’s been a separation from the album and the cultural hold it has as a vibe".

Fun and cheeky pop music is something Sabrina Carpenter has become a master in - the 25-year-old has taken Taylor Swift's confessional style and added a healthy dose of humour.

Thanks for sharing - moved to The Music Lounge!

The Gen Z including me is valuing a lot more on self-exploration and directness these days and I think the days of love especially unrequited love being the main theme of pop music are long gone or at least not as relatable. We relate a lot more with personal struggles and typical daily life which is why Charli xcx and Chappell Roan resonate a lot. In terms of music style, they tap into some niche areas of music like Charli xcx with techno and Chappell Roan more on having a more acoustic sound rather than a slick produced pop song which is usually synth-heavy.

 

On the flip side, artists like Doechii, cupcakKe, Megan Thee Stallion etc. are on the rise because they make honest and empowering songs which is something we really need to overcome the struggles we face x

The Gen Z including me is valuing a lot more on self-exploration and directness these days and I think the days of love especially unrequited love being the main theme of pop music are long gone or at least not as relatable. We relate a lot more with personal struggles and typical daily life which is why Charli xcx and Chappell Roan resonate a lot.

 

 

Sounds like modern Pop is having it's Grunge moment

People like Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor have changed and revolutionised songwriting and storytelling, with the attention to detail in the lyrics and how relatable they are.

What nobody wants nowadays is the generic lyrics of Ed Sheeran you know I'm in love with the shape of you

Interesting article - my hangups with most of social media (Instagram etc.) is that it encourages our worst traits through narcissism to editoralise our lives to show only the highlights/ very best moments, which is completely unrealistic and actually quite toxic because everyone looking at this unrealistic portrayal of perfection feels increasingly isolated, inadequate and depressed. In reality everyone's life is a chaotic mix of the highs, lows and large mediocrity inbetween. There are quite a few studies now that show there has been a dramatic increase in self harm among teenagers (particularly girls) since 2010 and the introduction of smart phones and the increasing use of social media. So this raw honesty about feelings and a more open approach to subject matter in songwriting makes much greater and more relatable content in pop music, and is really refreshing to see, so I'm pleased to see this success for Charli xcx and Chappell Roan (among others) and hope it continues to inspire more songwriting like it in the near future.

 

Ref Gen Z in particular: it's been great to see a lot of women coming through in the (traditionally male dominated) dance/electronic music industry in the last few years, but also to see how much they've taken to and re-contextualised the genres of drum and bass, jungle, breakbeat etc. I have enjoyed seeing these genres being discovered, enjoyed and utilised by an entirely new generation. The greater visibility there is of women DJs the more that'll inspire the next generation and make it possible for them to see a career route for themselves.

 

Also - brat green (HTML: #89CC04) that Charli uses is I think the same that adorned Lina Abascal's Never Be Alone Again: How Bloghouse United the Internet and the Dancefloor which I think chimes with the influences and general vibe of her new album, that book covers the mid-late 2000s just before Charli started releasing singles. Great book btw.

What nobody wants nowadays is the generic lyrics of Ed Sheeran you know I'm in love with the shape of you

Yet it's his most streamed song.

 

I don't think even he would consider that to be one of his favourites. If you use some of his more stripped back stuff, that's a greater representation of his songwriting.

Yet it's his most streamed song.

Yes but also the one that gen Z universally hates x

 

And referring back to taytay idt our generation is that much of a fan of her music these days especially the release of ttpd