Current success stories from the world of alternative music throughout the United States may have saved us from another annoyingly visible pop superstar. A series of identity crises have pushed a rebellious teenage model away from electro pop and the mainstream media and into the darker, more artistic and ever-expanding corner of the ring. Such a dramatic change in direction and image — even lifestyle perhaps — could cripple any artist, yet it is the young age of Sky Ferreira that allowed the musical makeover to glance off her without consequence.
At just 20 years old, Ferreira has already amassed a portfolio of tracks. So has Justin Bieber, who is only 18. Yet girls are supposed to have reinvented themselves more times than their parents can keep up with. Would Taylor Swift therefore be a better comparison? The style chosen by the young Ferreira in “Everything is Embarrassing” leads me to believe we are safe from another talent cranking out subpar music to extraordinary sales based upon endorsements, the teenage market, and a lengthy line of big-name featured artists. Harsh? Why don’t we try to focus on the positives that surround Ferreira and her take on the omnipresent dilemma of the slighted lover.
“Everything is Embarrassing” relies on the voice of Ferreira, a refreshing start. Underneath the hopeful yet vengeful lyrics are a simple mix of slow percussion and the occasional piano chord. The chorus sees a predictable rise in emotion conveyed by the increased volume of ’80s-style reverberating tones but the modern approach is quickly restored by the voice of the boy/young man to whom the words are directed. His distorted and distant voice opens the song and reenters after each chorus to answer Sky’s proclamations and create a nice complement to her warm, youthful vocals.
While the subject matter relates to the young artist, I am pleasantly surprised by the interestingly stripped down method by which Sky Ferreira is able to deliver it, a method more akin to a maturity level accompanying a singer who has lived comfortably within a genre for more than a few months. Perhaps there is hope for all those young models of Los Angeles.