When I tell people my favorite musical artist is Carly Rae Jepsen, I’m usually met with “Isn’t that the girl who made ‘Call Me Maybe?’” or, simply, “Why?” This reaction upsets me because I can envision a world where she is a pop star on the level of Sabrina Carpenter or Dua Lipa, not just a one-hit wonder.
“Call Me Maybe” was a monolithic pop song that grew bigger than Jepsen herself, so she would always be tied to it in the general public’s mind. Her single choice for the album after “Call Me Maybe”’s release was crucial in convincing the public that she was moving in a new, interesting direction.
The single for her next album, “Emotion,” was “I Really Like You,” which, while being a good song, did not show a creative direction different from “Call Me Maybe.” “I Really Like You” is a fun, catchy song, but it is sonically very similar to “Call Me Maybe.” It does not represent the interesting direction Jepsen had taken on “Emotion.” I believe that this single choice was what caused Jepsen to fade into the background of pop music, with casual listeners thinking she was stuck in the sound of her first big hit.
However, that second album, “Emotion,” is a perfectly curated collection of disco-pop songs that exemplifies Jepsen’s writing and artistry. That album achieved what “1989” by Taylor Swift tried to do, arguably better than “1989” did. “Emotion” is a powerhouse album that, unfortunately, underperformed in sales and chart placements but was critically acclaimed. Nowadays, we have seen a flourishing of disco-inspired pop from Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia” to Harry Styles’ new album, “Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally,” but “Emotion” is an early example of modern pop music trending toward an ’80s-inspired sound.
Jepsen’s writing is poignant, heartfelt and often vague. But the vagueness in her lyrics is what is so endearing — anyone can listen to her songs and identify with the feelings present. Instead of having to know details about her life and pop culture to understand her songs, you just have to know your own feelings. She writes about love and yearning in a way that imbues joy in the sometimes painful. Most of her songs are about unrequited love or a crush that does not pan out, but the music and production are upbeat and high-energy, so the listener might forget their own painful feelings for a moment.
Jepsen also did something with her three most recent albums that sets her apart from other artists. She released B-sides for “Emotion” and “Dedicated.” Releasing a B-side was a staple of the vinyl era of music and was done by Jepsen in the modern era purely as an artistic choice. She did this to release songs that did not make the original album — think Swift’s vault tracks — but she first did so in 2016.
These B-sides often contain tracks that are arguably better than those on the original albums and releasing them allowed Jepsen to be more experimental with her music and writing. For example, on the “Dedicated” B-side, she released two tracks with the same lyrics but different melodies and production. The songs sound so different that it took me multiple listens to realize the words were the same and when I did, I was so impressed by how Jepsen managed to differentiate the emotions behind these tracks without changing the lyrics.
After the disco pop perfection of “Emotion” and its B-side, Jepsen followed it up with more mellowed-out pop in “Dedicated” and its B-side. Jepsen is constantly trying new things and improving her artistry. She loves pop music and wants to see the world of pop music flourish and grow.
Jepsen has a catalog of amazing pop songs that are beautifully written. Her music asks the listener to surrender their heart to its emotions. She writes songs that are catchy and hooky, while also containing lyrics that feel ripped straight out of your own journal. I wish she were more popular and had more fans. She is a wonderful pop star who, in my opinion, definitely deserves far more fame and recognition than she has.
I implore any pop music fan to listen to “Emotion,” and if you like it, continue down her discography.
Adin Linden is a freshman double-majoring in linguistics and English.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.