When I first came across her on TikTok over a year ago, I immediately fell in love with Penelope Scott’s music. At the time, she only had one album out, but by now she has continued to self-produce tons more music. Her song “Sweet Hibiscus Tea” went viral on TikTok and she suddenly had a whole new audience. Only a few months later she released her second album Public Void, went viral again, and solidified herself as a voice for Gen Z.
What makes Penelope Scott’s music so relatable to a socially conscious generation is her clever lyricism on modern issues. Whether she’s singing about the evils of Elon Musk to a techno beat, raising issues about the true crime community, or criticizing the American healthcare system, people want to hear what she has to say. Her lyrics are bold and unyielding, voicing the anger Gen Z feels over the state of society and the world at large. You can’t help but be excited when you hear her sing about an issue you’re passionate about or one she’s just bringing up. She’s able to fit a whole world of information and emotion into less than 3 minutes, a truly impressive skill.
Scott has a following of over 441k people on TikTok alone. As well as sharing clips of her music, Scott also shares simple videos of her thoughts and feelings. She’s unafraid to call out hate she’s receiving and hate within her own fanbase. Some of her videos even take the time to clarify misconceptions of her music. This creates a comfortable atmosphere between her and her fans, adding to her relatability. It’s clear she’s not a wealthy star whose every move is calculated. She feels like a person going through the same struggles as everyone else. It’s truly fascinating to see the beginnings of a budding star.