The music industry is a rapidly shifting and evolving beast, with artists that were once considered alternative, becoming the new face of the industry (Billie Eilish, for example). The pop music genre seems to experience the brunt of these changes. There are always a few evergreen stars, like Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, and an infectious beat is now almost required in order for a pop song to chart. However, there’s always a segment of music producers that aim to push the boundaries of their genre, resulting in an entirely new sub-genre to form. The pop sub-genre in question is hyperpop.
Hyperpop is an energetic and bright sub-genre that is closely connected to PC (personal computer) music. It relies on electronic beats and synthetic sounds to produce the high energy music that it’s known for. Hyperpop is also affectionately referred to as Bubblebass and Bubblegum Bad*ss, as the general aesthetic of it takes much inspiration from the early 2000s bubblegum pop, but adds a level of energy that wasn’t there before.
Bass, synth, distorted vocals and wild, nonsensical lyrics are the hallmarks of Hyperpop. The artists rely on infectious beats to get people to listen, and they don’t hold back. Hyperpop’s rising popularity has led to a few of the more daring artists to explode in popularity. 100 Gecs is an example of a Hyperpop duo that have made a splash in the genre by chopping and screwing their beats in an original way while throwing in utterly crazy lyrics that have drawn the attention of outsiders. “Stupid horse” and “money machine” are the two songs that seem to have earned them their well-deserved infamy.
Personally, my favorite song of theirs is “800 db cloud,” which has an ear-ringingly strong bass, combined with pitched vocals and a heavy metal death growl halfway through! The unique combination of various genres makes the group very interesting to listen to.
Hyperpop is a sub-genre that initially seems nonsensical and pointless, but the community around it is an absolute bastion of light. The music artists that produce work in the genre are some of my personal favorites. They are constantly releasing new work and are interacting closely with their audiences via social media. I’ve even had a good handful of my favorite artists reply back to me on Twitter! That level of interaction is astonishing compared to the other musical sub-genres that I’ve enjoyed listening to!
The sub-genre is also known for being overwhelmingly LGBT+ friendly, and the most popular artists are consistently members of the communities that their audiences are from. There’s always been a strong connection between the LGBT+ community and pop music (just ask how many people in the community consider Britney Spears to be a personal icon). The only difference now is that people from the community are the ones making music as well!
Going back to the 100 Gecs example from earlier, Laura Les, a member of the duo, is a trans woman. She has stated before that the pitched-up vocals she uses in her songs are partially to prevent potential dysphoria from the way she sounds. She’s not alone in being a transgender hyperpop musician. Arca is an incredibly talented hyperpop artist that has produced more than her fair share of incredible music, and she’s a nonbinary trans woman as well. SOPHIE cannot be forgotten in an article concerning hyperpop. Her impact on the sub-genre cannot be overstated as she is one of the original pillars of hyperpop and is also a trans woman. Chester Lockhart is an emerging genderfluid artist that is already making major waves with their new EP “Wet Metal.” Artists like Kyunchi are also breaking through and expressing their gender in their own way, using the fluidity of music to express themselves.
Gender and sexuality play large roles in the music and even personas surrounding the hyperpop music artists. One would be hard-pressed to find someone in the hyperpop sub-genre that isn’t a member of the LGBT+ community or is a proud supporter of it.
While hyperpop may initially seem outlandish and odd, it’s a bastion of support and art from marginalized communities—a space where the LGBT+ community can support itself and enjoy content made by people who understand them. It’s a rapidly evolving sub-genre of pop music, and I can imagine that it will become incredibly popular as the years go on, as it is still in its infancy and has managed to have an impact on how social media views music.