Poppy is continuing her content-heavy summer with a brand-new single, “Her,” produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen (M83, St. Vincent).
Accompanying the song’s release is a dystopian stop-motion music video by animator/director Chris Ullens, whose iconic style has been featured in videos for Rex Orange County and Lee Ann Womack.
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The video for “Her” begins with a masked figure emerging from behind a moving wall while distorted guitar feedback begins to build. A four-beat guitar riff strums as the figure takes their seat upon what appears to be a throne and an assembly of robotic instrumentalists begin being placed before her.
“Give her a face/Give her a name,” the song begins as a set of identical wigged robots are dropped off in front of the nameless figure. The video feels very dystopian but current in its themes of creative control, like looking into the metaphoric functionings of any modern, charmless institution.
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The figure’s face constantly changes in an almost mechanical fashion, shifting from cheer to utter disdain as the song picks up. Performers are dismissed and dismantled at her command, and new ones are dropped off via conveyer belt while the song goes through an intense crescendo.
Heavy distortion and controlled drum fills create an even more hectic atmosphere as the insatiable critic perpetuates the cycle of deconstruction at the behest of her mood swings.
The scene begins to wind down when the performers, evidently more human than we initially thought, decide they’ve had enough. Poppy delivers her lines as the performers dramatically cast their wigs and manufactured faces to the ground, creating a sound as deep and complex as the content of the video.
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The video is characteristic of Poppy’s cyberpunk aesthetic but nowhere near the limit of her creative longevity. While the multifaceted artist has explored an array of unique sounds throughout her career, she found her niche when she began recording nü-metal tracks on her second album, Am I A Girl?
Since then, she’s released an ambient noise album, become the face of Viktor & Rolf fragrance Flowerbomb and announced a collaborative line with KOI footwear. In March, the artist performed at the Grammys after being the first solo female artist to receive the nomination for Best Metal Performance.
Poppy has certainly had a busy year. In April, she hosted the livestream event The Last Disagreement through Veeps. Additionally, she dropped a reimagined version of Jack Off Jill’s “Fear Of Dying” in May. More recently, the artist has paired with people such as Vince McMahon and Triple H to deliver a set of songs in a special collaboration between Sumerian Records and WWE.
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“Not since Cyndi Lauper and the birth of WrestleMania have we seen an iconic female rock star and pro-wrestling collide in such a culturally fascinating way,” Sumerian CEO Ash Avildsen said of the collaboration. “This is a historical moment for Sumerian, an inspiring story for the new generation of WWE fans and a glimpse into the future of what’s to come from the brilliant mind and vision of Poppy.”
“Her” is the latest release since the WWE collaboration, which resulted in the June release of her five-song EP, EAT (NXT Soundtrack). You can watch the mesmerizing video and read the lyrics for “Her” below.
What do you think of the music video for “Her”? Let us know in the comments below!
Poppy “Her” lyrics
Give her a face
Give her a name
That isn’t hers
Then make her yours
Say she’s adored
Call her a whore
Then pick her up
Throw her on the floor
I’m getting to know her
And all of her anger
You won’t recognize her
If you encountered
I’m getting to know her
And all of her anger
Picked herself up
Put her back together
Give her a taste
Take it away
Under your thumb
Tell her to stay
Don’t say a word
Don’t disobey
When she woke up
She ran away
Run your mouth to keep her scared
You expected her to care
But when her mind made up
You were illfully prepared
Have you observed
And what have you learned
The girl that you knew
Will never be yours