Cause They're a Singer: The Return of the Pop Star
*Article from Lexington Line Autumn/Winter 2024 Issue, pages 8-10
Check out the full issue here
The year of pop's revival, 2024, saw artists like Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Tate McRae, and Sabrina Carpenter launch into the spotlight like never before. With them came the return of catchy club beats and larger-than-life stage personas.
In the past decade, popular music turned towards singer-songwriters like Adele, Taylor Swift, and Lana Del Rey, as listeners craved lyrics and storytelling over the pop star glam that marked the ‘90s and 2000s.
Even 2010s artists are making comebacks. Kesha released her EP Joyride in July, marking her first release since leaving her label Kemosabe Records in 2023.
Perhaps the most notable figure of this new wave of female pop artists is Chappell Roan. Her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, was initially released in 2023 but made her a star when she hit the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 200 nine months after its release.
Roan’s stage presence is iconic, with powerhouse vocals and intricate drag looks, such as her Statue of Liberty outfit at the Governor’s Ball or her Joan of Arc performance at the Video Music Awards. As the Midwest Princess infamously stated, she is “your favorite artist’s favorite artist.”
Roan and the other women breaking into the pop scene carry the it factor. They command the stage and create an experience.
One of the most notable aspects of these women's personas is their outfit choices. Roan herself often wears caricatures of historical events or people as a commentary. Sabrina Carpenter typically dons iconic bedazzled bodysuits and tall platform go-go boots.
Alongside wardrobe, choreography has reemerged as a must-have quality in pop stardom. Artists like Tate McRae are bringing back the moves in a callback to the pop princess herself, Britney Spears.
Spears sparked the rise of teen pop in the ‘90s and early 2000s. In the 2001 VMAs, when she sang “Slave 4 U,ˮ the stage was covered in cages filled with wild animals, and smoke poured out from backstage. Perhaps the most memorable part of this act was the giant python she founced around with on stage. It became the emblematic “pop star” performance.
Another key to the pop star genre is controversy. Carpenter found herself in hot water after filming a portion of her “Feather” video in a Catholic church in Brooklyn.
In the video, Carpenter kills men and attends their funerals, which caused outrage and a priest to be stripped of his administrative duties. Carpenter’s response to this backlash was simply, “Jesus was a Carpenter.”
Similarly, Roan was subjected to scrutiny when she posted a video rebuking fans for hounding her in public for photos, autographs, or any other non-consensual fan behavior. Opinions were mixed; some said she was asking for attention by putting her music out for public listening, but others adamantly supported the singer.
As with anything these days, social media has played a large role in this pop renaissance. TikTok, in particular, has launched these artists into the stratosphere. Look at Brat Summer, a trend that centered on Charli XCX's new album of same title. Users created dances and memes to go along with the different tracks.
The trend even reached the election process, with Kamala Harris leaning heavily into Gen Z trends to lift her platform. The campaign played pop music at rallies to appeal to young voters and participated in social media trends which would then be posted on the @KamalaHQ TikTok account.
This has also been a banner year for high-budget world tours, which helped these artists gain exposure both in-person and through social media.
Big hits, elaborate music videos, intricate stage performances, and larger-than-life personas are the most important aspects of this genre. Each of these pop girls fts the bill.