What Is Girly Pop?
Girly Pop is an up and coming genre of music that combines elements of bubblegum pop, electropop, and indie pop. The goal of this type of music is to create upbeat and cheerful songs that are fun to listen to and also have a feminist or female-empowered message in the lyrics. The sound and style of Girly Pop often features bright synths, bouncy beats, catchy hooks, and vulnerable yet strong vocals. Popular artists in the genre include Charli XCX, AlunaGeorge, Sia, Carly Rae Jepsen, Neon Hitch, LIZ, & the like.
The lyrical themes found in songs from this genre generally focus on empowerment through female friendship (“FEMME!,” Charli XCX), self-confidence (“Sway With Me” by Saweetie ft. GALXARA), celebrating individuality (“Momentary Bliss / Roadrunner!” by Gorillaz ft. Slowthai & Slaves), and embracing vulnerability (“I Don’t Wanna Hide” by Aluna George). Additionally they often showcase a joyful message with regards to enjoying life despite its difficulties through slogans such as “Eat sleep rave repeat!” or simply repeating “Life’s too short – go out there and get it!”
All in all Girly Pop is characterized as an optimistic confidence booster — a go-to playlist
How Does Girly Pop Differ from Other Styles of Music?
Girly pop, as enjoyed by its devoted legion of fans, is a style of music that strives to stand out in the landscape of contemporary music. This girly pop differs from other styles for several reasons.
To begin with, the lyrical content often centers around female solidarity and empowerment. Rather than focusing on club culture or hyped-up bangers, many girly pop songs emphasize relatable themes related to self-confidence and female friendship. This closely associated thematic content sets it apart from other genres which tend to rely more heavily on tired stereotypes and “bro” lyrics.
On top of this, the instrumentation and production values of girly pop often operate within a tighter range when compared to other forms of popular music. From up-tempo dance tracks with synth and electric bass most prominently featured to low-key ballads featuring an array of classical instruments played at moderate tempos, one can expect an ultimately softer sonic palette than styles like EDM or rock’n’roll usually inhabit.
Above all else, though, it is the spirit that makes girly pop so distinctive. At its heart, girlly pop seeks to create an atmosphere of acceptance through encouraging positive messages while experimenting with different musical avenues such as trap drums counterbalanced by airy team vocals that suddenly lead into melodically trance-like choruses without risking becoming monotonous. For these reasons and more Girly Pop continues to command praise
What Are the Typical Themes in Girly Pop Music?
Girly pop music is a genre of popular music that is specifically meant for young girls and women, often focusing on romantic love. The main themes in girly pop music include self-esteem and acceptance, identity, friendship, romance and relationships, as well as having fun.
Self-Esteem and Acceptance: One of the major recurring themes in girly pop music is self-esteem — feeling good about who you are and learning to accept yourself inside and out. Much of this type of pop strives to empower young women by encouraging them to have faith in themselves, building up their confidence and assuring them that they can succeed no matter what obstacles life throws at them. It tells its audience to celebrate their uniqueness even if they don’t fit into popular standards; they should be proud of their own beauty just as it is.
Identity: Girly Pop Music also explores other aspects of identity within its lyrics including career goals/dreams (i.e “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Glee Cast), consumer culture attitudes (“Material Girl” by Madonna) or taking advantage of opportunities (i.e Kacey Musgraves’ song “Follow Your Arrow”). It may represent a wide range of identities from the artsy hipster girl (Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles”) to the Americana diva country girl (Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”), making sure there are songs for most any kind of girl
Who Are Some of the Most Popular Artists in the Genre of Girly Pop?
Girly pop is a vibrant and burgeoning genre in music that celebrates feminine strength and identity through upbeat, catchy melodies and powerful, expressive vocals. This unique sound has been popularized by some of the most successful female solo artists working today and has seen a massive surge in popularity within the last decade.
A defining artist of girly pop, Lady Gaga’s brand of dance-pop has become synonymous with the genre, her music straddling both upbeat bangers such as “Born This Way”, as well as heartfelt ballads like “Million Reasons.” Likewise, Pink’s signature brand of pop-rock continues to enrapture audiences around the world with anthems built on honest lyrics like “So What!” and intimate ballads such as “Who Knew.” Shakira is another hugely important contributor to this scene; her Latin influence bringing a level of passionate energy unrivaled by any other act out there.
The last five years have seen a huge number of new acts from different backgrounds join the fray in search for mainstream success; Jennifer Lopez using her urban influences to deliver hits like “Ain’t Your Mama”; Dua Lipa intertwining danceability into contemporary pop (“New Rules”); Ariana Grande incorporating elements of R&B into sultry melodies(“Thank U Next”) ; Billie Eilish fusing trap-infused electronics with raw lyrics
