Am I A Girl? Album Review

YouTube has produced its fair share of artists and personalities, but none are as equally puzzling and intriguing as That Poppy. Halloween saw the release of Poppy’s new album titled “Am I A Girl?” and the track list immediately took away from the star’s usual tone.

Her first album back in 2016- “Bubblebath” -was a much more upbeat, reggae influenced release full of catchy pop songs disguising a commentary on the issues of being a pop star and selling out to corporations in the modern day. The tracks discussed the effects of money and how celebrities are used to sell merchandise, as well as stereotypical ”girl problems” such as marriage. Most fans of Poppy will know that her entire image and work revolves around exposing the nature of the music industry and how it affects the people- usually women- who go into it.

“Am I A Girl?” takes away from this and delivers a much harsher sounding story of the confusing nature of identity and gender in a modern, information saturated world. Though it takes away from Poppy’s character, the new album still incorporates her trademark digitised sound, but with a much more severe tone. This unexpected change in genre was made apparent within the first track “In A Minute” in which the sudden introduction of the lower octave synth immediately sets her new tone whilst still maintaining the computerised aspects she’s known for. In addition, the opening song equally prepares listeners for Poppy’s new attitude with its more cynical, apathetic lyrics. However, the penultimate track “Play Destroy” got the most attention as it mixes her original cheery sounding pop with an abrasive metal instrumentation in collaboration with Canadian songwriter Grimes to varying approval of fans.

The album overall makes for an interesting listen due to its combination of genres, even for those who don’t know Poppy’s work or her intended message. With a deep digitised sound and unique vocals, this new album will gel best with fans of indie pop and rock.

There is currently a large amount of speculation about what this album means for Poppy’s future music and her YouTube career, but considering her unpredictable character, I think we’ll just have to wait and see.