While the spring weather in Providence is taking its time to warm up, the world of pop is already heated. From gut-wrenching heartbreak ballads to electroclash club music, the music industry has witnessed a variety of highly anticipated releases from notable female artists.
Dedicated listeners of KATSEYE, Laufey or Olivia Rodrigo are guaranteed to find at least one track worth adding to their playlist.
“PINKY UP” by KATSEYE
Apart from the zebra-skin boots and cyan fishnet tights featured in their music video, global girl group KATSEYE’s new single “PINKY UP” is otherwise predictable. The track –– which came out on April 9 –– is a palatable earworm that welds melodic verses with a gritty eurodance chorus.
While the song’s EDM-laced beat and maximalist visuals may be enough to start a dance challenge on TikTok, no hodgepodge of blonde wigs, flamethrowers and cheetah-print can distract from the song’s lack of creativity. Similar to the group’s January single “Internet Girl,” “PINKY UP” is a garish display of hyperpop and lyricism that tries a little too hard.
But unlike its hollow predecessor, “PINKY UP” is far from grating. The song is admittedly addictive, and its blissful vocal interludes nearly justify the cringeworthy chants. The track somehow plays to all of KATSEYE’s strengths, stitching together the emotional edge of “Tonight I Might” with the eccentric charm of “Gnarly.”
“Madwoman” by Laufey
In the music video for Laufey’s new song “Madwoman,” the Grammy-award-winning jazz-pop musician reclines by a poolside alongside a star-studded ensemble of part Asian celebrities. The video, which was released April 13, features KATSEYE’s Megan Skiendel, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” star Lola Tung and Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu lowering their rose-tinted sunglasses to watch “Heated Rivalry” heartthrob Hudson Williams gracefully climb out of the pool.
The video revitalizes ’70s glamour with paisley-patterned fabric and splashes of mustard yellow. Choreographed butlers, manicured smiles and an uncanny proposal satirize mid-century American aesthetics, creating a delightfully tongue-in-cheek story.
The song itself is a love letter to the musician’s signature sound. Featured on Laufey’s new deluxe album “A Matter of Time: The Final Hour,” the song includes theatrical instrumentation, with the percussion delicately tiptoeing as the strings crescendo forward.
In the pre-chorus, Laufey laments a toxic affair, singing, “But there’s something so vexing ’bout you.” She stretches each syllable as if confessing a bittersweet secret or casting a spell.
The song’s production features a delightful symphony of a twinkling celesta and restless longing. A moodier counterpart to “Lover Girl,” “Madwoman” illustrates how Laufey is still yearning for her idyllic partner. Fans of the singer’s earlier work are sure to enjoy this new addition to her discography.
“drop dead” by Olivia Rodrigo
Last Friday, Olivia Rodrigo released “drop dead,” the long-awaited lead single to her upcoming album “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.” The music video for “drop dead” follows Rodrigo as she struts around the Palace of Versailles — treating the ornate castle and Baroque architecture as her personal playground.
But the grandiose palace can barely contain the horrific thrill of young love. As she sprints down the gilded halls, the singer-songwriter revels in giddy infatuation, singing, “Yeah, I’d love it if you walked me home / If you promise, we can go real slow.”
The music video is a dreamy haze of lilacs and golds, evoking an unplaceable nostalgia with its grainy lens and close-up shots. Though the video borders on repetitive, Rodrigo does not overstay her welcome — ultimately falling on the palace steps in a lovestruck trance.
“drop dead” is iconically Rodrigo: The song fuses pop-punk hooks with the adrenaline rush of romance. The track hits the sentimental highs seen in “SOUR” and “GUTS” — all while shepherding in her next era of music, one marked by blossoming maturity.
Kendra Eastep is also a senior staff writer covering arts and culture.
