Kim Petras: A Bold Leap Forward
A FIFTEEN-YEAR JOURNEY has finally led Kim Petras to the release of her highly anticipated debut album. During this extensive period, the German singer-songwriter's steady ascent has solidified her position as a standout figure among pop artists. From 2017 to 2019, her "Era 1" singles paid homage to the effervescent bubblegum pop of the 2000s, while her Halloween-themed mixtapes brought a thrilling and edgy vibe. Earlier this year, Petras achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first trans artist to claim a Number One hit with "Unholy," her collaboration with Sam Smith.
However, the road to Feed the Beast has not been without its challenges. Petras' ongoing collaboration with Dr. Luke has been a source of controversy among many music fans due to accusations of sexual assault and abuse. Dr. Luke was entangled in a protracted legal battle with Kesha, which recently concluded with an out-of-court settlement. Moreover, after signing with a major record label in 2021, Petras faced setbacks as her original debut album, Problematique, was entirely scrapped and eventually leaked.
Petras has described her new release as her most "personal" work to date, a project that veers away from the personas she embodied in her Turn Off the Lights Halloween projects and last year's Slut Pop EP. However, despite these intentions, the album seems to distance us even further from Petras' true creative essence, losing the quirky magnetism and spark that made her previous eras so delightfully unconventional.
Broadly speaking, Petras' new material appears heavily influenced by Nineties house and Europop. The lead single, "Alone," featuring a surprisingly subdued guest verse from Nicki Minaj, samples Alice Deejay's 1999 hit "Better Off Alone" while adding unnecessary trap hi-hats into the mix. Much of the album consists of similar attempts to secure radio airplay and TikTok success, rendering the often trendsetting Petras as a mere imitation among imitations. Tracks like "King of Hearts" and "Claws" feel like an onslaught of overpriced vodka sodas: diluted and indistinguishable from one another.
However, it's not all doom and gloom. "Coconuts," released last year, remains a buoyant and infectious bop. "Revelations" features a steely touch of Eighties guitar and a chorus that pays homage to Petras' spooky-pop history. While most of the songs on the album are overtly sexual, "Sex Talk" and "Hit It From the Back" stand out as the boldest and most humorously direct of the bunch.
"Minute" captures some of the vulnerability that Petras promised on this album. It's a straightforward love song that yearns for someone to stay just a little longer. Meanwhile, "Uh Oh" serves as a quintessential Petras party anthem. The chorus boldly declares, "Everything I drop is a banger," a claim that holds true for the song but falls flat when considering the remainder of the album.
Even the weaker tracks possess dance-floor potential. Petras, above all, remains an ardent fan of pop music and the euphoria it elicits. Yet, in her pursuit of achieving Top 40 status as a pop star, she has temporarily abandoned the daring and forward-thinking persona that initially garnered her a devoted following. The beast has been tamed, and we can only hope that it will not remain subdued for much longer.