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Olivia Rodrigo has used her opening tracks as escape valves. On “brutal”, she seethes at the unrealistic expectations of curated imperfection, which ranges from her (in)ability to parallel park to her reputation as a teen in the public eye. On “all american bitch”, she inveighs against the adoption of the patriarchy, exposing the inane pressure for women to be docile yet strong, resilient but effortlessly—and femininely, whatever that means—so. I think you ... read more
Virgin delivers prosaic lyricism and inchoate production to express Lorde’s most raw and authentic self. It’s generally effective, if not repetitive at times.
Life under Lorde’s skin post-Solar Power sounds brutal; after wide disapproval of her beach-core album, the Aotearoa native decided to take a step back to reconsider the world that was shaping her oeuvre and also her soul. That led to a firmer move from halcyon Auckland to grimy NYC, a quasi-social media hiatus, a ... read more
Wreathed in 8-bit mosquitoes, the Kiwi popstar’s single says one relevant thing amidst vague statements.
“Some days I’m a woman, some days I’m a man,” Lorde howls. The Kiwi musician’s latest single unfolds like an efficient summary: she pointedly affirms her gender identity, as in recent interviews, then bluntly introduces weird, warped synths—analogous to Melodrama’s surprises—and finally shoves a copious amount of one-liners, all ... read more
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I write short music essays on Substack (@ponaui)
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Member since June 20, 2025