Long before Chappell Roan was “your favorite artist’s favorite artist” in the pop world, that moniker belonged to Robin Miriam Carlsson, better known by her mononymous performance name Robyn. Entering the pop world all the way back in 1995 with her debut Robyn Is Here, Robyn has consistently predicted and propagated new waves and mutations of pop music: from the glistening and punchy productions of Max Martin (who she notably helped introduce to the United States market, paving the way for Britney Spears); the electroclash and blog pop of the mid 2000s, her self-titled record of that time a prime force behind the shift toward poptimism; the state-of-the-art ‘80s throwback of 2010’s Body Talk, home to “Dancing On My Own”, perhaps the best and most important pop song of the 21st century; and the blissed out Balearic beat and house music of 2018’s Honey, Robyn is able to read cultural interests and integrate them into her deeply vulnerable and authentic take on the pop machine.
For this week’s episode of The New Sincerest, I trace Robyn’s career from her debut to now, looking at her peers during each respective album cycle to analyze Robyn’s impact and genius. Who’s that girl? It’s Robyn, without a doubt.
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