Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Robyn

Robyn (Carlsson) is the pixie pop artist from Sweden who debuted in 1997 with the excellent "Show Me Love", a kind of Euro girl reimagening of American 90s RnB, and then remade herself in the 2010s as a central indie femme pop icon with the immortal classic "Dancing On My Own".

Originally marketed as another TRL white teeny bopper profiting on black music, Robyn showed genuine respect for her musical roots with an adorably pip-squeaked soul singer sound and bubbly bass music. Her songs are loaded with heartbreak and alienation and it was no surprise that she evolved a sound when Britney Spears only cultivated a sexy image. Robyn started with a very sexual image, often exposing her curves, belly and wearing alluring makeup, but she grew into a more butch, nerdy and underground character. Some wouldn't do her because she is so boyish looking, unladylike acting and a freethinking weirdo, but I love all of this.

Admire her steely stare, her sharp snaggletoothed pout and her lingering babyfat that covers her otherwise delicately sharpened pixie features. She has aged prematurely from smoking and hard living, but she is definitely gorgeous in rare ways and retains a youth.