Whether it’s by using a sports car or a coffee order as a sexy metaphor, I think it’s no secret how women have been dominating pop music in recent years.
Growing up, sex and how to express it were considered taboo subjects, especially for women. Thus, in the entertainment industry generally but the music industry specifically, women are put through intense criticism when in the public lens, especially when using themes related to sex, love, fame, or money in their songs. They are ultimately made to fit an image that conforms to societal standards.
Due to this, there have been female artists that decide to de-stigmatize sex and use their sexuality as a way to gain control of their public image; they use sex as a way of female empowerment instead. This leads to a resurgence, or a renaissance I might say, of the female popstar.
And why a renaissance, you might ask? Because female artists have been doing this for a long time! Artists like Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, and Madonna have been known for using their sexuality as a way to explore their artistry and as a creative outlet. Nonetheless, here are some female pop stars whose artistic expressions come from a source of femininity and explore female sexuality.
Sabrina Carpenter
Source: Billboard
If there’s one artist who’s everywhere, from your radio station to your mind when ordering your morning coffee, it’s Sabrina Carpenter. She has found a way to completely transition away from her Disney Channel era and into exploring female pleasure in mainstream pop culture.
Source: ABC News
With her recent album Short N’ Sweet, she uses a 1950s-esque aesthetic with big blonde curls, babydoll dresses, and a bold red lip to express a sort of hyper femininity. While to some this may seem like a stereotypical, cliché approach, in an interview for Time magazine, Sabrina Carpenter said: “Femininity is something that I’ve always embraced. And if right now that means corsets and garter belts and fuzzy robes or whatever the f*ck, then that’s what that means.” This physical expression at a certain point differs to the flirty and sexual innuendos in her music. From lyrics such as “Where art thou? Why not uponeth me?” to bolder innuendos like the Juno positions, she represents how the way in which women choose to express themselves and their bodies is all very relative to each individual.
Olivia Rodrigo
Source: Pinterest
Another ex-Disney Channel artist that has grown into an angsty popstar persona is Olivia Rodrigo. The 22-year-old singer has explored a very early 2000s aesthetic, often seen in her platform Doc Martens, leather suits, and black nail polish. In her music, she questions fame, friendships, past relationships, and jealousy, all while adding a touch of sass and anger to her vocals.
She has taken the stage to vividly perform the feelings reflected in her songwriting. To exemplify, I find that this all started with her iconic performances of the song Obsessed, which she had previously sung while on tour. In these performances, she sang to a lower camara below the stage in what can be perceived as a seductive manner, which led audiences to spiral.
Source: Variety
“Everyone always makes fun of me for how much I love to play on camera. I grew up doing TV shows; I was an actress. And so I think in some weird way, it just got ingrained into me,” Olivia mentioned in an interview for Variety. This triple threat performer, who sings, writes, and acts on stage, is not afraid to express her perception of female sexuality in a grunge, pop-punk way.
Source: Pinterest
Tate McRae
Though she’s been in the industry for about 8 years, I feel Tate McRae has just recently found her artistic outlet. After the release of her latest album, So Close To What, McRae has indulged in full on choreography, sultry vocals, and a sex appeal similar to female artists of the 90s. Her performances, recent animal print style choices, and musical melodies have strayed away from what she released when starting her career.
Her music video for “It’s okay, I’m okay,” has an iconic scene where her body is blurred and she’s wearing nothing but a police hat, which screams Britney to me. Similarly, her recent single “Sports Car” has a very early 2000s-ish sound, as well as a catchy, sexy chorus. Whispering the lyrics “I think you know what this is. I think you wanna, uh. No, you ain’t got no Mrs. Oh, but you got a sports car,” has definitely set the tone to her newer releases.
These divas, and many others, demonstrate how this new generation of pop girls in the music industry have boldly opened the door to the exploration of femininity and sexuality through art.