U — underscores

By Lola Nam de Giorgio

“I started telling myself I deserve it”, emerges as a defining line in ‘Hollywood Forever’ off of underscores’ newest album U. Deeply telling of the West-coast native’s thoughts on fame, relationships and emancipation from anxiety, U pulls from all types of pop and electronica. From a catchy hook that sounds like early Kelis, to beats that sound like they could have been pulled off a Drain Gang song. underscores (also known as April Harper Grey) makes U her weirdest and most experimental record to date, with nine-tracks telling a story of Grey’s own experience in the music industry and the toll it has had on her relationships. Yet it also proves that a phoenix always rises from the ashes, and that criticism and hardship only seeks to fuel her toil in producing something in her distinct voice. It feels like a new era for underscores, lauding her unapologetic style and prowess as a young but experienced voice in the music industry. 

The voice of underscores is dominant, unflinching as she tackles various doubts expressed by people around her – shutting down questions about being exploited for fame, or even showing agency over a lover. The opening song ‘Tell Me (U Want It)’ starts peppy, synth-filled and light, but leads into something darker, and guttural whispers paint a picture of desire to break free, “tell me you want it”. Masked in hyperpop aesthetics, the album does not shy away from the darker side of the music industry – marrying “high-gloss” with chaos. Other unmissable tracks include ‘Hollywood Forever’, nosing on the cemetery of the same name in Los Angeles, where underscores asks to be buried – a nod to her status and fame, as well as her own legacy in music. It feels like flipping a finger at those who have questioned her trajectory, peers who have not seen her full potential, with the closing lyrics “you don’t believe in me” spotlighting that hardship and lack of belief will not be a barrier to her success. If anything, it has pushed her further into the hyperpop hall of fame with the likes of SOPHIE and Shygirl. ‘Do It’, one of the closers of U, feels monumental in accenting the problems of fame and star-status on relationships. The addressee is questioned by underscores, of their intentions and preconceived notions of who they are in a relationship with – is it underscores or Grey herself? How does this split of persona between artist and individual conflate or separate? 

In a world where hyperpop seems to be dominated by the influence of “Brat culture” (which is by no means an insult), U offers a refreshing outlook on the future of the genre. You can hear the influence of Imogen Heap/Frou Frou as well as an alliance with her contemporaries: this is what hyperpop should do, and how it should break through into the music world She clearly understands how to make a catchy song, but does not sacrifice it to vapidity that is seen in some mainstream music. U is raw, aggressively stubborn in its vision: one that pulls from 2000s pop and splices it with her own artistry (which becomes increasingly more awe-inspiring considering she produced the entire album herself). All of this only contributes to the new heights that underscores has reached as an artist, a creator of music and the sheer emotion drawn out through on-the-nose lyricism and transitions within songs that mimic the transformation and metamorphosis for the career of underscores. What will come next? And who’s to say what the future of hyperpop will look like? One thing’s for sure: that, like it or not, underscores will not sacrifice her own eclectic taste and sound for success.