Staff Writer- Emily Sustaita
While watching Alysa Liu joyfully skate in the Exhibition Gala, you may have caught yourself bopping and dancing along to a song called “Stateside”. As the catchy lyrics go, “I’m freezing outside, I feel my skin tight/ My coat is inside, but I look up at you.” You might be wondering, who was the person who wrote this song? This glittery and Bratz-like song was made by none other than PinkPantheress, a British singer-songwriter and producer rising to the stars!
She first started uploading her music on SoundCloud, using GarageBand as her main tool. When snippets of her uploaded songs went viral on her anonymous TikTok account, PinkPantheress’s career launched as an artist. Today, you may already recognize her from her hit songs such as “Boy’s a Liar” and “Pain”. Her music is characterized by her signature soft voice, combined with autotune and specific effects, to create the Y2K and nostalgic sound that she strives for. Her sound has been described as “bedroom pop” and “British pop”–but I say it is “groundbreaking” pop!
In fact, what I love about PinkPantheress’s music is how she is not afraid to experiment with her songs like a creative soul! Many of her songs, especially her earlier ones, were created using samples. For example, in her hit song, “Pain”, PinkPantheress sampled “Flowers” by Sunship and Sweet Female Attitude for the melody, and sampled Erik Satie’s “Gymnopedie no.1” for the original chord progression.
Along with that, PinkPantheress has also taken her songs and interpreted them in new ways. In her recent album release, Fancy Some More, PinkPantheress created remixes for the songs from her previous album, Fancy That. Not to mention, she collaborated with a wide range of artists–such as Anitta, Yves, and Zara Larsson–when putting together these new remixes. It comes to show how versatile and experimental she is as an artist!
So, since PinkPantheress is so great, and I bet you want to listen to some new music, I put together a versatile list of songs–accompanied with descriptions–to get you rolling into the world of PinkPantheress. These songs, ranging from past to recent songs, will surely have you hooked!
“Attracted to You”
Starting off with a playful classic, this song will have you skipping like a happy fool, despite the looming reality behind it. The lyrics describe the feeling of being attracted to someone, just to realize that your attraction to them is an illusion. And yet, as the lyrics beautifully describe, “You’re in my head so I cannot forget you.” The upbeat and lively nature of this song perfectly matches the theme of attraction. I adore the cute “HEY!”’s and “YEAH!”’s sprinkled throughout the song, and I’m sure you’ll love it, too!
“Do You Miss Me?”
The beat of this next song is DIE for; I’ve danced to this song way too many times. This song is characterized by a chill and simple vibe, with a complicated theme beneath it. The lyrics describe the feelings of a person who is in a relationship with someone who is already taken; it’s a complicated cycle of hiding and longing for someone who they can’t have. This song, with its chill and yearning nature, will surely have you dancing along.
“Blue”
This song is definitely a favorite of mine on the list, specifically because of its lyrics. The lyrics reflect on life after not hanging out with someone you used to love. Those feelings are mixed in with the temptation to go back to them and change yourself to fit their standards. And yet, as PinkPantheress professes in the song’s chorus, “I’m not hanging with ya, I’m not hanging with ya.” The speaker stands their ground and doesn’t return to this person, despite the complicated feelings of yearning. With the song’s mellow and bouncy beat, you’ll find yourself entranced by the exploration of its heartfelt and pensive topic.
“Tonight”
This next song is from PinkPantheress’s recent album, Fancy That, and is an absolute banger. It’s the kind of song that I can see being played at a fashion show. The lyrics describe the feeling of being infatuated with someone and wanting to get with them. The song, compared to her older songs, shows a new and exploratory side of PinkPantheress.
Not to mention, the music video has a Bridgerton-like theme going on, making the song all the more fun and enjoyable to listen to!
“Pain”
I had a hard time deciding which song to end this list with, so I thought I’d reemphasize a classic that helped set PinkPantheress’s music career into motion. Despite being only 1 minute and 38 seconds long, this song will have your heart hooked in each second with its simple and somber beat, perfectly matching the theme of the song. The lyrics describe the pain of not being with someone anymore, and now watching that person as an outsider. The “la-la, la-la, la-la” throughout the song is so addictive, and matches the spiraling feeling of the speaker. It’s the kind of song that will stir many emotions within your heart!