TQS Staff11 June 2011 No Comment
Energetic and emotional: these two words perfectly capture the spirit of Robyn’s music. The Swedish singer has been on the scene since the 90s, but even now, she is hugely underrated.
It is perhaps since 2007’s number one With Every Heartbeat that more and more of the U.K has delighted in Robyn’s unique ability to make people dance and cry at the same time.
Her 2010 comeback built upon on this gift, using her now trademark-mix of buzzing synthesizers and beats to tell stories of broken hearts and break-ups.
In last year’s music video for the Dancing On My Own, Robyn appears dancing throughout, manically punching the air and swinging her body around. And at live events, the star passionately spins round and round on stage in time with the songs – it is this devotion to music that makes Robyn’s fans fall in love, and is something made obvious through her performances.
Perhaps the appeal of Robyn’s brand of pop music is the vulnerability behind the lyrics. In Be Mine!, taken from her debut U.K album Robyn, she screams out;‘You never were, and you never will be mine’, over violins and a stabbing bass line.
In Fembot, however, a track that dabbles in her childhood love for hip-hop, Robyn proclaims:
“My system’s in mint condition, no power’s up on my transistors – all working fine, no bitches plug me in and flip some switches”
showing her authority.
It seems that there is a thin line between Robyn’s confidence and her weaknesses, which no doubt adds to her appeal as a pop star. Here is a woman who does not conform to one style but creates a fusion of different genres and expresses a range of emotions. In fact, you only have to take a look at Robyn’s androgynous hairstyles and eccentric outfits to see that this girl is something special.
Comparisons to Gaga have been rife, as with almost every female pop singer these days but, although there are similarities, it is impossible to compare these two artists. While Gaga is all about shocking music lovers and seeing how far she can push boundaries, Robyn is more of a girl-next-door and sings about down-to-earth issues.
Over the years Robyn has released a number of pop-gems, such as Who’s That Girl?, Handle Me, Hang With Me and Indestructible. It is well worth revisiting her debut album but the Body Talk series of mini-albums is essential listening.
Hot on the heels of the release of her new single Call Your Girlfriend, which continues Robyn’s tradition of sensitive pop music electro-ballads, the singer will also be touring worldwide with Katy Perry throughout June, and will return to the U.K in September for gigs in Manchester and Bristol. Listen to her new song Call your Girlfriend now:
Written by Martin Ward, find him on Twitter here.
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