Staff Writer Orla Whittingham examines this summer’s biggest music industry names, arguing that genuine connections with female and LGBTQ+ audiences are essential for a successful reception within those communities.
This summer was dominated by different subgenres of pop, with two big names being Charli xcx and Chappell Roan. After reading reviews of Katy Perry’s ‘Woman’s World’ song and music video, I decided to compare her to the aforementioned musicians in order to explore what not only makes an artist successful among female and LGBTQ+ demographics specifically, but also what constitutes a poor attempt at it.
To provide some context: Chappell Roan blew up over the last months. The combination of her fun, ‘campy’ aesthetic and stage presence, 80’s synthpop-inspired music as well as heartbreaking lyrics, including those about her experiences as a queer woman from a small town trying to make it in Los Angeles, make her a refreshing and authentic artist. Simultaneously, while Charli xcx has been in the music industry for a long time now, her album ‘brat’ influenced by 2000s English rave music and released this summer, catapulted her to a new level of fame.
Katy Perry: How a successful career draws to an end
On the other hand, there is Katy Perry – an established pop artist with a career spanning over a decade. To give her credit, Perry did release songs perceived as controversial, such as ‘I Kissed A Girl’, in the past. She has also been described as the “Queen of Camp” by Vogue. If this is the case, how come has her new single been so poorly received?
The song and music video have gathered negative reviews individually. Many have pointed out that the lyrics seem to be a lazy attempt at creating an empowering and liberating song for women. This is evident from the first line: “Sexy, confident” which, personally, made me immediately disengage from the song. Following this, the lyrics “she’s a sister, she’s a mother” appear as an effort to include LGBTQ+ references – both descriptors are often used within the community.
At the same time, the music video, directed by Dr. Luke (accused of sexual assault by singer Kesha in a case that has since been dismissed), matches the cringey tone of the song. Similarly to the lyrics, the video contains several unrefined attempts at catering to both female and LGBTQ+ demographics. A good example of this is the scene in which Katy Perry’s walk suddenly cuts to two men kissing. This is certainly unrelated to the plot of the video – but, to be honest, the ‘plot’ seems non-existent anyway. The problems don’t end there: in another shot Katy Perry, accompanied by internet personality Trisha Paytas, drives a car that has a chain with a bedazzled uterus dangling beneath it.
A quick consideration of these few aspects should be enough to realise that the single would be well-received by neither women nor LGBTQ+ individuals. The lyrics littered with feminist and LGBTQ+ buzzwords, paired with the video full of unrelated shots, clearly show that Perry failed to successfully target the audience in question.
Chappell Roan: A breath of fresh air in the music industry
Conversely, Chappell Roan is a queer woman who spent a fair share of her time in LA bars among other members of the LGBTQ+ community. This experience is easily observable in her very natural inclusion of references to this lifestyle not only in the lyrics and production features, but also stage presence and costumes. Indeed, her most popular songs such as ‘Good Luck, Babe!’, ‘HOT TO GO!’ and ‘Casual’ are great examples of this.
‘Good Luck, Babe!’ talks about her involvement with a woman who couldn’t accept her sexuality, which eventually brought the relationship to an end. While the song doesn’t explicitly state this, the conclusion is evident: “You can kiss a hundred boys in bars / Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling”. If that wasn’t enough, Ronan adds: “When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night / With your head in your hands, you’re nothing more than his wife / And when you think about me, all of those years ago / You’re standing face to face with <I told you so> / You know I hate to say, <I told you so> / You know I hate to say, but, <I told you so>”. The listener can easily infer that the singer imagines her ex in the future as trapped in an unhappy marriage to a man instead of her. What this shows is that references to her experiences as a queer woman do not have to be obvious in order for the listener to identify with and enjoy the song.
Chappell Roan also understands the type of camp that is genuinely liked and not considered too tacky or cheap. Looking at her NPR Tiny Desk Concert, one can see the influence she has drawn from drag queens. The combination of glamorous and outrageous makes the performance fun and camp in a stylish way. While the outfit is clearly not one that people would wear on a daily basis, funny features such as the cigarette butt in her wig make it pleasantly refreshing. After all, it is nice to see a look that is not overly polished – something most pop stars are given to wear.
Charli xcx: Bringing back the ‘party girl’ aesthetic
Similarly, Charli xcx’s songs and fashion reflect her experience in the UK rave scene which she entered in 2008, performing at warehouses before signing a deal in 2010. Lately, her newest album ‘brat’ has been a huge success. Although I do not regularly listen to her music, I have to say that I’m glad it has done so well in the industry – especially considering Charli’s less-than-perfect image as a pop star.
References to the artist’s ‘rave era’ are present throughout ‘brat’, particularly in the song ‘365’. Admittedly, the piece is less palatable for the wider demographic, both in terms of the lyrics and the production. While it begins with the same beat as ‘360’, one of the most popular tracks of the album, it contains lyrics invoking drug use: “When I’m in the club, yeah, I’m (bumpin’ that) / When I’m at the house, yeah, I’m (bumpin’ that) / 365, party girl (bumpin’ that) / Should we do a little key? Should we have a little line?”. Later in the song, the beat progresses to a more aggressive rave-tone. This illustrates that Charli xcx was not concerned with making this album conform to the conventional style of music that performs well in the charts, but rather creating a project that stays true to her unfiltered self and resonates with her fans.
The musician’s sense of style also reflects her roots. She often carries accessorises such as sunglasses, a constant element of raves. For instance, she combined them with a long-sleeve white top, a loose white vest and white underwear during her Boiler Room set in Ibiza. This laid-back, slightly messy style compliments the aesthetic of the album. Just like with Chappell Roan, Charli xcx’s personality shines through, which is likely the reason behind her recent immense success.
It is worth noting that there are several other factors that contribute to answering the question of appeal considered here, such as social media presence and age difference. However, in my view, it all comes down to authenticity. It seems that, unlike Katy Perry, artists such as Chappell Roan and Charli xcx are not trying too hard to cater to the industry’s wants. With platforms like TikTok offering greater opportunities in connecting with audiences, more artists can now, hopefully, be their authentic selves when creating their music.
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