How many times have we heard from artists on what being a pop star is like? This concept has lingered in pop music and culture for decades. But only recently have we really started to dig deep into the psyche, and meaning of what it really means to be a pop star.
In a world where it gets harder to know what is real and what isn’t, authenticity becomes a rare and treasured commodity. Artists are trying to show us just how real they are, but as Tinashe told Stereogum, "authenticity can be performative." Throughout the record, Tinashe intertwines serious introspective moments with feel-good pop hooks. She examines her ‘pop star’ lifestyle from all angles. We’ve seen it before in different shapes and colors (maybe brat green), but this record is the ultimate portrait of what a contemporary pop star is.
Tinashe states that "the American Dream is outdated," and she’s right, but what is success then? Throughout the record she rewrites what her definition of success is. On "Empty Stadium," she has a recurring dream, trapped in a vacant stadium, waiting for applause, giving us the impression sold-out arenas or stadiums are her end game. Yet, later on "Crash Out" she writes, "Don’t need validation, but it would be nice" highlighting the contradictions of being an artist in the spotlight. She worked hard to get recognition for pursuing her unique approach to her music, often marrying experimental production and cross-genre sounds to her excellent writing and vocals. That refusal to fit in a box becomes central to the album’s concept of what a pop star can be.
One listener noted that she uses her verses to say heartfelt and insightful things, then quickly cuts back to "what a manufactured entertainer is supposed to do." This tension is perhaps the most revealing part of the album. She talked a little about this in a recent Zane Lowe interview, having previously been boxed into R&B music simply because of race. Of course, much of her music has been rooted in R&B, but being placed into a predetermined category creates restrictions when an artist wants to expand beyond it. Popstar rebels against any kind of categorization and boxes. It’s proven immediately from the eclectic Arca-produced intro "Sunglasses," to the 50-second "Overdramatic" sampling Annetta Johnson. Tinashe explains to Lowe that when she thinks of the term "pop star," she doesn’t see it as something exclusionary of other genres. Instead, she sees pop stardom as the combination of all of them.
The record does more than contemplate her lifestyle and ambitions; there are some real club bangers here, like "Melatonin" and the instant classic "Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore." The latter feels like the new going-out anthem, with a beat you can feel in your chest and lyrics about the joy of letting everything go and just dancing. But let me take a step back, because the track before it, "Pillow Fight," is my favorite on the record. Its infectious melody and hypnotic piano loop tickle the brain just right, and the beat sends me into orbit. The craziest part is the instant transition into "Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore," which gives you no time to prepare for the tumultuous beat, yet somehow the two still work together.
This is where the thesis of Popstar becomes clear, Tinashe’s genre-blending is not an exercise in versatility. Rather, it reflects the contradictions of the pop star itself.
