Sapphic pop

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Sapphic pop is a term used to describe a particular subgenre of indie music and bedroom pop. The genre typically has female, often femme, singer-songwriters and will often feature lyrical themes such as lesbian or queer love. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

The name of the subgenre derives from sapphism. [6]

Phoebe Bridgers, Chappell Roan, Muna, Tegan and Sara, Clairo, Girl in Red, and King Princess have been cited as examples of the genre. [7] [8] [9] [10] Additionally, some songs have been described as "sapphic anthems". For example, Muna and Phoebe Bridgers' song "Silk Chiffon", G Flip and mxmtoon's song "Queen", and "Good Luck, Babe!" by Chappell Roan. [11]

Meanwhile, artists such as Gemma Laurence have called their music "sapphic folk". [11]

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<i>The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess</i> 2023 studio album by Chappell Roan

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. The album was released on September 22, 2023, through Amusement Records, an imprint of Island Records. It was met with widespread acclaim and praised by music critics for its bold and emotionally charged nature. Reviews also complimented the album's engaging blend of sharp songwriting, dynamic pop elements, and Roan's vocal performance. Several publications ranked it on multiple year-end best albums lists for 2023. The album earned Roan her first Grammy Award nominations at the 67th annual ceremony, including for Album of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Kink Is Karma</span> 2022 single by Chappell Roan

"My Kink Is Karma" is a song by the American singer Chappell Roan, released on May 6, 2022 as the second single from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was produced by Dan Nigro. The song became a sleeper hit in 2024, as one of Roan's seven simultaneously charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100, along with "Good Luck, Babe!", "Casual", "Hot to Go!", "Red Wine Supernova", "Pink Pony Club", and "Femininomenon".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femininomenon</span> 2022 single by Chappell Roan

"Femininomenon" is a song by the American singer Chappell Roan, released on August 12, 2022 as the third single from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). Produced by Dan Nigro and Mike Wise, “Femininomenon” is an alt-pop, dance-pop, and new wave track. The song became a sleeper hit in 2024, as one of Roan's seven simultaneously charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100, along with "Good Luck, Babe!", "Casual", "Red Wine Supernova", "Hot to Go!", "Pink Pony Club", and "My Kink Is Karma".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Wine Supernova</span> 2023 single by Chappell Roan

"Red Wine Supernova" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released on May 19, 2023 as the sixth single from Roan's debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The song began charting in April 2024, following the success of "Good Luck, Babe!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot to Go!</span> 2023 song by Chappell Roan

"Hot to Go!" is a song by the American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan, from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was released through Island Records and Amusement Records on August 11, 2023, as the album's seventh single. She co-wrote the track with its producer Dan Nigro. "Hot to Go!" is a synth-pop, electropop, indie pop, and dance-pop track that takes influence from new wave in its instrumentation and vocal inflections. Described as a queer cheer song similar to the Village People's "Y.M.C.A.", it was inspired by Roan's childhood dream of wanting to become a cheerleader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Luck, Babe!</span> 2024 single by Chappell Roan

"Good Luck, Babe!" is a song recorded by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released as a standalone single on April 5, 2024, through Amusement Records and Island Records. She wrote the song with Justin Tranter and the song's producer Dan Nigro. A synth-pop, baroque pop, soft rock, new wave, and dance power ballad, "Good Luck, Babe!" references a compulsory heterosexual relationship, describing a queer woman trying to deny her romantic feelings for Roan and for women in general. It received acclaim from music critics, who included it on several mid-year and year-end rankings of the best songs of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casual (song)</span> 2022 single by Chappell Roan

"Casual" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released as a single on October 28, 2022 independently. It was later released as part of Roan's debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, through Amusement Records and Island Records as the fourth single from the album. She wrote the song along with Dan Nigro and Morgan St. Jean and Nigro is credited as producer along with Ryan Linvill. It is a country-influenced downtempo, dream pop, pop rock, and rock ballad about casual dating, in particular a situationship between Roan and a love interest who is unwilling to commit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naked in Manhattan</span> 2022 single by Chappell Roan

"Naked in Manhattan" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released independently on February 18, 2022. It would later become the lead single from Roan's debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, through Amusement Records and Island Records. “Naked in Manhattan” was also released as a B-side to Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” on December 16, 2024. She wrote the song with Dan Nigro and Skyler Stonestreet, with Dan Nigro on production. It is a dance, dance-pop, disco-pop, and synth-pop song about having a crush on a girl for the first time, drawing comparisons with the feeling of New York City.

"The Giver" is a song by American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan, her first in the country music genre. It was first performed live during her debut appearance as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live (SNL) on November 2, 2024. Written by Roan and produced by Dan Nigro, the song features traditional country instrumentation, including a fiddle, and explores themes of queer storytelling through subversion of conventional country lyrical norms.

References

  1. "The Sapphic Pop Boom Has Been a Long Time Coming". Them. March 9, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  2. "The 21 Best Sapphic Bops of 2021". out.com. December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  3. Harding, Charlie (August 23, 2022). "Blackpink's 'New Venom' Winks at Rihanna, Biggie, and More". vulture.com. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  4. Harding, Charlie (August 10, 2022). "What Kelis's 'Milkshake' Was Bringing to Beyoncé's 'Energy'". vulture.com. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  5. "Page 3 Profile: t.A.T.u. - Pseudo-Sapphic pop duo | The Independent". The Independent. February 7, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  6. "The Sound of Sapphism". Switched On Pop. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  7. "The 2019 Dazed100 is here". Dazed. April 29, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  8. "Sapphic alt-pop music is better than it has ever been". culturess.com. July 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  9. Madden, Emma (November 18, 2021). "The limitations of the 'sapphic anthem'". NPR. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  10. Jocelyn, Hannah (April 18, 2024). "Not Just 'Luck': Why Queer Pop Star Chappell Roan Broke Through to the Hot 100, And Why It Matters". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  11. 1 2 Madden, Emma (November 18, 2021). "The limitations of the 'sapphic anthem' : NPR". npr.org. Retrieved December 6, 2022.