The new class of pop: Troye Sivan, Kim Petras, & Carlie Hanson

It’s easy to be unimpressed by pop stars. The media often approach them with intense cynicism. Pop stars are assumed to have limited musicianship and pop songs are referred to as “guilty pleasures” and enjoyed ironically. However, in the past five years, there has been a shift in the way many artists and fans receive pop music. Instead of finding ways to defend itself from these criticisms, the pop industry has embraced them with open arms. The result is a new class of pop stars who refuse to sound different for the sake of sounding different. What’s impressive is how many have managed to deliver authentic messages through what has become known as an unauthentic genre. At the helm of this new approach is artists like Troye Sivan. On his Bloom Tour, which stopped by San Francisco’s the Masonic for two shows on November 1st and 2nd, Sivan enlisted the help of newcomers Carlie Hanson and Kim Petras. Together the three artists presented their own uniqueness while singing songs that one could easily learn the words to upon the first listen.

Being the first act on the bill, Hanson’s stage setup was modest. Only the front half of the stage was in use and a plain white cloth that read her name in black letters hung above it. As Hanson ran on stage it became clear that the modest set up actually fit her vibe. Over time, especially by the 2000s, pop became synonymous with the theatrical and highly manufactured. Now, artists like Hanson have opted for a more grounded style. The 18-year-old looks like someone you could see performing at a college house party while everyone whispers to their friends, “She’s going places!” Her grungy onstage appearance is already being popularized (think Billie Ellish) but she is one of the only artists matching this aesthetic with pop music. If Hanson had been around 10 years ago, she would never have been referred to as a pop star. Her existence in the pop world is a testament to how the genre has been quietly upset.

On the other hand, Kim Petras strutted on stage in an oversized Adidas windbreaker cinched by a glittery silver belt, sunglasses, and long flowing blonde ponytail trailing after her. She is her music personified. Petras artistry is clearly inspired by the manufactured nature of her pop predecessors. In an interview for Noisey, the singer stated that “there’s something about making a song that everybody can sing and remember.” And, for an audience, there’s something therapeutic about singing along to a track that everybody knows the words to. Petras has tapped into that manufactured hit-making element of pop to deliver songs that extend beyond the usual topics like love. Just this last October, she released a Halloween themed mixtape titled TURN OFF THE LIGHT, VOL. 1, and referenced her trans identity on the track “TRANSylvania.” In a scene that is dominated by cisgendered people, Petras is unapologetically pop and unapologetically trans. Her confidence radiates off of the stage and into the crowd, encouraging them to live their lives as proudly as she does. Hanson and Petra’s liberating performances set the tone for the equally inspiring headliner about to take the stage.

Troye Sivan’s professional journey can almost be viewed as a coming-of-age story. Sivan gained popularity as a Youtuber back in 2012. Although he had been singing since 2007, it wasn’t until he attained a massive Youtube following that Sivan became a pop star. Then, the singer publicly came out through an emotional video in 2013. The road to becoming more comfortable with his sexuality is clearly charted through his discography. On his first album, Blue Neighborhood (2015), Sivan talks about the joys of being young and letting yourself make mistakes in the name of self-discovery. Just three years later, his latest album Bloom (2018) features Billboard charting songs about realized queer desire like “My My My!” and the titular track “Bloom.” With the problem of hypersexualization in both the representation of gay relationships and the pop industry, Sivan’s lyrics and accompanying music videos accomplish tongue-in-cheek subtlety. The songs and videos are undeniably queer and sexual, but they never feel gratuitous. Sivan’s music offers pop fans a genuine coming out process that is defined by conflicting emotions and a realistic timeline of self-acceptance, something that is so rarely seen in mainstream media. Troye Sivan has worked hard to dance and belt as freely as he does on the Masonic’s stage, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t aware of his privilege. Sivan has stated that he doesn’t want to be considered a gay icon because he “had the easiest coming out in the world… I don’t ever want to take that on really, because there are plenty of other people who need to be heard first.”

Even with their impressive accomplishments, Carlie Hanson, Kim Petras, and Troye Sivan are just beginning their musical careers. The new class of pop hasn’t yet graduated, but they’re on track. They’re fulfilling their requirements and helping restructure a genre into one that is inclusive and thoughtful while still sounding like pop.

Article and Photos by Rebekah Gonzalez