The Resurrection of the Pop Icon is Here

It’s finally happening... society has moved past its sexist ways and have accepted the mega-success of the female pop star! Just kidding, that will literally never happen, but we’re getting closer.  

Growing up in the 2000s, I was extremely lucky to see the rise (and fall) of some of the most iconic female pop stars of all time. Some of them have gone on to become the biggest stars on the planet (Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Rhianna, etc.) and some of them have been discarded and kicked to the curb by the industry (poor, poor Britney). Nevertheless, I’ve always had an appreciation and respect for these women who showcase their insane levels of talent by creating incredible music, delivering show-stopping live performances, and living up to the status of being a true pop star. 

In the last few years, I’ve witnessed a disparity in pop music regarding the level of stardom pop stars, specifically women, are able to achieve. It almost appears that the extreme success of the artists I mentioned before have hindered the capacity to succeed for other smaller pop artists who are trying to break through. Given this, there has not been a true, genuine, pop music starlet that has shined as bright as the new girls in the game for a long time. 

Enter Sabrina Carpenter. Having been in the game since her Disney days, Sabrina made one of the most daunting transformations an artist possibly can; going from Disney child star to pop-star-sex-symbol. Somehow, she has completely made that turn around, seemingly flawlessly and with very minimal controversy (go away Joshua Bassett, I don’t care about you). I’ll be truthful, I haven’t always been a huge fan of Sabrina. I never watched her Disney show and didn’t hear her older music when it first came out, besides the certified legendary gag that is “Can’t Blame a Girl For Trying,” circa 2014. This artist didn’t truly catch my eye and force me to become a stan until her newest project, her iconic fifth studio album, E-mails I Can't Send. Not only is this album filled with pop-perfection hits that simply make you want to move and groove and slap a man, but Sabrina’s style evolution is what really flipped a switch and engaged me in her career. Sabrina has now fully immersed herself into the category of pop girly superstar, and I couldn’t be more impressed by her every step of the way. Obviously, she’s opening for the Era’s Tour currently - which means she has really made it. But Sabrina isn’t the only artist who is coming for the crown of pop music’s princess - cut to Tate McRae. 

If there is one artist who truly had their breakthrough moment this year, it was Tate McRae. The Canadian singer/songwriter started out as a dancer, which is very evident if you have seen a single one of her performances or recent music videos. When Tate released her earlier work, I’ll be honest here, I was not a fan. It sounded like she was trying too hard to sing in cursive and I found her songwriting style cheesy. That all changed for me when I heard the song “Greedy” from her recently dropped sophomore album, Think Later. At first, I couldn’t believe this was the same girl who sang “You Broke Me First,” a moody and indie-pop inspired song that I was not entirely impressed by initially. "Greedy” was the introduction I had to the artist Tate McRae has become - a pop star. Followed by the next album single, “Exes,” Think Later became one of the most anticipated and successful pop albums of 2023. “Exes” was one of my most played songs of this year. The catchy hook, the attitude she carries through the song, and THE MUSIC VIDEO. Not only has Tate McRae solidified herself as a star who is here to stay, but I reckon she is truly giving Britney Spears every time I see her perform. And to the people who are criticizing her for "dancing too much" during her live performances, I'd like to see you try to move the way she does. Truly an insane talent and I actually want her to dance more! 

These two spectacular artists have revived the pop-music industry for young women. It's really special to see these stars at the beginning of what is going to be a very long - and dare I say - iconic career.