Madison Beer: locket

"What makes a "main pop girl"? Her persona must be distinct and captivating, familiar yet aspirational. She must be recognizable enough for commercial viability, innovative enough to diversify the market. She must either embody the cultural norms of her time or challenge them. To an extent, pop personas are designed for obsolescence—even the most iconic are fallible. And what about those who haven't yet touched icon status?"

"It's the problem that shadows the vocal style and musical sensibilities of 26-year-old singer Madison Beer, whose discography to date can feel like a lowest common denominator of trends-as if pop records could develop Instagram Face. Her new album, locket, makes a rocky climb and a slow descent along the middle of the road, but its not-so-hidden gems hint at potential that outpaces her output."

"Beer's career has aligned well with the dominant aesthetics and industry priorities of the past decade and a half. Justin Bieber, the poster boy for the YouTube-to-stardom pipeline of the early 2010s, discovered Beer via an Etta James cover she posted on the platform. As bedroom pop went mainstream in the later 2010s and early 2020s, the "sad girl" became a dominant pop-star archetype, with artists like Billie Eilish, Clairo, and girl in red popularizing breathy melancholia and confessional lyrics."

Madison Beer navigates contemporary pop aesthetics with a persona that aims to be both familiar and aspirational while remaining commercially viable. Her career trajectory aligns with YouTube-era discovery and the rise of bedroom pop and "sad girl" melancholia. Vocal stylings combine sultry runs and "cursive singing," at times producing Ariana Grande-like impressions that undercut distinctiveness. The album locket follows a middling arc, balancing trend-driven tracks with several notable songs. Those not-so-hidden gems suggest artistic growth and a potential to outpace the formulaic elements that currently dominate her discography.

Read at Pitchfork