Jewell Alleman
Staff Writer
The genre of pop music can be defined in various ways, depending on individual perspectives. While some define it simply as popular music, others associate it with a certain sound or style. However, with the emergence of artists such as Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter in the current music scene, the conventional definition of pop music may be transforming.
Chappell Roan signed her first record deal with Atlantic Records at just 17 years old. While she released multiple singles, her first album was released about a year ago in September 2023. Titled, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.” She opened for pop star Olivia Rodrigo at select shows on her GUTS Tour, where videos of her opening act began to go viral and she gained traction. This past April, she performed at Coachella which boosted her virality, followed by her appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series.
Roan has evolved into an LQBTQIA+ icon, breaking boundaries in her music and pushing acceptance. She has also not been silent regarding her political views and has embraced her opportunity to make a change as an artist. Notably, she declined an offer to perform at the White House Pride event.
“We want liberty, justice and freedom for all. When you do that, that’s when I’ll come,” Roan said to address the situation during her Governor’s Ball performance.
Junior Maggie Janutolo, is a big fan of Chappell Roan.
“I’ve seen a lot of people say she’s an industry plant, but she’s been in the industry for 10 years now, and she has always been a forward-thinking pop artist,” said Janutolo. A lot of current pop music is very nostalgic, pop kind of circles back on itself every few years.”
Sabrina Carpenter is famously known for her role on the Disney Channel in the “Boy Meets World” spinoff titled “Girl Meets World.” Before this, Carpenter was posting videos of herself singing on YouTube and entered The Miley Cyrus Project where she placed third out of 10,000 entries. This project was to help bring a spotlight to young and talented artists, which some say is the reason Carpenter was cast on the Disney Channel.
While she’s been an artist for quite some time, releasing six studio albums throughout her music career, her newer songs such as “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” have gained a lot of traction due to increasing virality on the social media platform TikTok. Not to mention the millions of people who saw her open for Taylor Swift at select shows on The Eras Tour.
Similarly to Roan, Carpenter pushes the limits of what is seen as acceptable for musicians. Her music video for “Feather” was filmed in the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Brooklyn, which sparked a lot of controversy on whether it was a tasteful choice. Another issue that seemed to push the limits was her outfit at Coachella which included a shirt saying, “Jesus was a Carpenter.” Although she has faced these controversies, there is a large fanbase that appreciates her breaking these norms and dissecting the idea of religion and what is or isn’t considered “sacred” or “sacrilegious.”
“Pop has been slightly redefined in this digital age,” Alum Cora Widick said. She describes Sabrina Carpenter as “a classier version of Miley Cyrus.” While Carpenter and Cryus both got their start on the Disney Channel, Carpenter has been able to step away from that definition and create a different vision of herself.
While this “new age” of pop and a “new era” of pop stars is among us, there is anticipation of what the future of the music industry holds. Social media is the tool that cannot be ignored when considering the potential boost it can provide to music.
