an introduction to creepy & pouty pop
creepy cute in music
When we talk about pop, we tend to mislocalize the term within the category commercial music. This is a common mistake and often repeated even among the new generations, when now pop means almost everything: it's not just popular music, but every sub-genre of macro genre, from rock to electronic, from indie to hip hop and so on. Although the classification depends on the shape and structure of a song.
So let’s draw this chain taking as an example its parallel and very similar ramifications:
creepy pop
Returning to the main definition, creepy pop can be interpreted as an art pop 'sub-style, which can easily be confused with the alt-pop, part of the alternative macro genre. Although the intention to go outside the box is similar for both, the difference between the first and the second is mainly in the integration of artistic theories, part of the personal expression of the artist. Here, negative feelings become positive, through a kind of personal complaint, the intention here is different form the so called dark pop [parent of the alt-rock genre, it mainly integrates hip hop rythmics].
In fact, the characteristics of creepy pop are visible in the disturbing tone and imprint that a song, instrumental or not, can express through feelings of rebellion for a cause, victimhood or restlessness. Here we don't mean other subgenres such as emo or alternative rock, which also deal with similar themes [or feelings] but structurally, musically and timbrically different.
The characteristics of creepy pop are: a provocative narration with a childish and decreasing tone, distorted; use of mallets, music boxes or xylophones, pop or catchy rhythms. Secondary voice filtering, elements of psyco/horror environment.
We can assume that in the instrumentation of this style we include the creepy kit [© drum kit].
so here's an A-Z list of some creepy pop artists:
Ashnikko*
antihoney
Baby Bugs*
Bambi Baker
Baybe
Billie Eilish*
bludnymph*
Britney Spears
Chandler Leighton
DeathbyRomy
Die Antwoord*
Elita
Ellise
Elle Lexxa
Jazmin Beans
Kerli
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
Lady Gaga
Lalleshwari
Lana Del Rey
Lucy Loone
Melanie Martinez
mia rodriguez
Rebecca Black
Rhea Key 1024
Slayyyter
Poppy*
poutyface*
Yikii
*partly alt-pop
pouty pop
As mentioned above, even the pouty pop can be found in the art pop sphere, but the sense is slightly different from the creepy: you tend towards infantility or nostalgia in a constant, perpetual sulky mode that is cute. Be careful, it is not at all close to mumbling [from mumble rap]; it is in theory the intention with which a song is produced. But it could still approach the nostalgic emo of the last era and therefore of the alt-pop parallel genre, because some pouty artists come from the alternative scene of the y2k.
The features of pouty pop are: pouty personality, sad or hypersensitive, possible celtic folk or grunge style combined with descriptions of everyday life or hometown, implicit nostalgia, toxic love suffering, feelings of dissatisfaction even for the most banal situations.
Imagine that you are a spoiled little creature that has been living in your bubble for decades, from the moment you've only had bad experiences outside your room: You constantly drag the same face, and the people you meet around ask you <why you never smile?>. You are tired of every little detail out of place that ruins your day, and you don’t understand why no one shows interest in you. You also suffer from love, so you prefer to watch melancholy movies and play rpg video games, or read a mystery novel most of the time. Well, in this case you are pouty individual. – Rhea, 2023
some of the pouty pop artists A-Z:
Adeline Troutman
Allie X
Asi Kemera
Baby Bugs
Bambi Baker
Billie Eilish
carolesdaughter
Dillon
Elita
Ethel Cain
Flower Face
Honey Gentry
Lana Del Rey
Lizzy Grant
Mars Argo
Melanie Martinez
Marina
Mazzy Star
Mieke
Nicole Dollanganger
Rhea Key 1024
Sky Ferreira
Sophie Woodhouse
Yeule
Creepy cute is an active movement that speaks about our monsters and needs to be expressed, and the creatures that are part of the movement need to be understood. Creepy & pouty pop music is the first visible and audible voice of our reality, so help us grow this research and leave a comment with your thoughts.
Examples in the media, culture and nature:
[pouty and creepy can easily become synonymous in visual media]
