Music

Pretty Horrifying:: Video Director Maegan Houang’s Visceral Vision for Mitski’s Music

Shot from the music video for Stay Soft. Mitski, an Asian American woman with shoulder-length straight black hair clenches her hands near her face, looking off camera in horror in front of a lush navy blue background.
by Oliver Haug
April 1, 2022 at 11:36am
Horror is a means to this end, something that Maegan Houang views as a “tool” in their kit. “The thing about horror and music videos is that it’s a genre that creates a shorthand that allows you to tell a more concise story,” says Houang.
Janet Jackson with a pixie haircut and wearing a red, popped-collar shirt and hoop earrings

“JANET JACKSON” Promised Honesty, But Delivered a Controlled—and Constrained—Narrative

by Vanessa Willoughby
February 16, 2022 at 12:05pm
For all its attempts at unabashed honesty, “JANET JACKSON.” is deceptively guarded: Jackson still seeks shelter in an unknowable self, hidden from even her closest family and friends. Read more »
Beyoncé, Janelle Monáe, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Grace Jones in front of a wavy, pink and red background

What We Lose When Music Divas Become Movie Stars

by Ren Jender
January 21, 2022 at 2:00pm
 When pop stars turn to film, they’re at the whims of mostly male directors who squander their visionary talent. Read more »
Ivy Queen, a light-skinned Latine woman with long blonde hair and bold makeup, sings into a microphone over a digitally collaged purple and magenta futuristic background.

Whitewashed History: The “Loud” Podcast Amplifies Reggaeton’s Overlooked Black Roots

by Jasely Molina
January 11, 2022 at 2:30pm
Ivy Queen’s insightful podcast “Loud” examines reggaeton’s past, present, and future. Read more »

Queen Shit: Lil’ Kim Celebrates 25 Years as Rap’s OG Doll

by Fullamusu Bangura
November 15, 2021 at 1:39pm
Lil’ Kim’s personas have long been a point of contention among many hip hop listeners concerned with women’s representation in the genre. Read more »
Halsey dressed in a black crown, veil, and ornate gown with bold shoulders that leak upwards in watercolor.

Personal Parallels: Halsey’s Gothic Film Is a Gendered Journey Through Pregnancy

by Rachel Saywitz
November 9, 2021 at 3:46pm
“I am not a woman, I’m a god / I am not a martyr, I’m a problem.” Read more »
A collage of Letitia Wright, a Black woman, the characters from Steven Universe, including Steven Universe, a young, chubby white boy, and June/Offred in The Handmaid's Tale, who wears red and has her hair covered.

The Most Impactful Pop Culture Phenomenons of the 2010s

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
December 18, 2019 at 5:39pm
As we speedily approach 2020, we reflect on some of the most memorable moments in pop culture of the last decade. Read more »
Laura Gibson Portland indie folk

BitchTapes: The Family Way

by Katie Presley
December 7, 2018 at 3:12pm
Singer-songwriter Laura Gibson turned in a thoughtful, multi-faceted playlist for our Family Values issue. Read more »
India.Arie

BitchTapes: Give Thanks

by Katie Presley
November 16, 2018 at 9:00am
Take a break from America’s favorite colonialist capitalist festival of gluttony with our mix of songs about gratitude. Read more »
A border patrol agent looks through binoculars while standing next to muddy U.S. Department of Homeland Security vehicle

On Our Radar—Feminist News Roundup: Refugees Fleeing Violence Are Not a “National Emergency”

by Bitch HQ
October 26, 2018 at 3:00am
Dear Trump, your bigotry is showing. Read more »
a line of voters in Brooklyn, New York in 2008

BitchTapes: Fight for your Rights

by Katie Presley
October 12, 2018 at 10:20am
A mix for election season and beyond. Read more »

Pages