emo girl (feat. WILLOW) – Machine Gun Kelly, WILLOW
Released: 2022
Many of us met the hit song emo girl (feat. WILLOW) with mixed reactions, some finding it foolish,
maybe even laughable. Some of this response may be credited to the questionable reputation of the artist, and his very public relationship with Megan Fox, which has never failed to litter social media feeds.
“I think we weren’t allowed to see each other yet. We weren’t supposed to run into each other that night, so our souls, our spirit guides, were luring us away from each other, because you literally had no face, like that thing from Spirited Away.”
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– Megan Fox in a British GQ Style interview
I would recommend taking a peek at more of their fairly entertaining quotes later.
As much as people like to ridicule emo girl, these insults do not change the fact that it had made #77 on the US Billboard Hot 100. As a result, it’s only fair to give the song some consideration. And for those appalled by the song, bear with me for a moment.
But if you are unfamiliar with the chorus, I have provided it here.
“I fell in love with an emo girl
I’m in love with an emo girl
I fell in love with an emo girl
All I want is an emo girl”
– Machine Gun Kelly, emo girl
At first glance, it may seem that the lyrics lack depth and originality. For some listeners, this may be a key component of a song. However, Machine Gun Kelly has made his message very clear: He loves an emo girl.
There are not many complexities to this song, and with this, we can only assume that there are not many complexities in his love for an emo girl. He has ensured that all listeners will easily be able to tell that he is transparently devoted to an emo girl, and if there is anything to take away, it is that. Isn’t that beautiful? Why should the meaning have to be so hidden, so complicated? He openly shares this truth to all.
The simplicity of this song only makes it stand out amongst the rest. In all honesty, I haven’t listened to any other songs by Machine Gun Kelly, and very few by WILLOW. Sorry to disappoint any dedicated MGK fans, hoping to find another supporter.
In a quote graciously provided by my friend,
“I like hate comments more than no comments
I don’t know you
BUT YOU KNOW MY NAME”
– Kim Namjoon, BTS Cypher 4
Even if you hate it, this song is out there, with over 73 million streams on Spotify today.
I have to admit, I was among the mass of people who originally did not have much faith in the song. However, I’ve unfortunately developed the habit where I appreciate something as a joke, and then end up having the slightest obsession with it. Simply put: The undeniable catchiness of the song had won me over. My fondness of the song may still partially be a joke, but the lines of that have somewhat blurred. And writing a full blog post about it may further obscure that line. It was never my intention to focus this entry solely on this song, it just happened. Similar to my sudden inclination to it.
Emo girl has been played in my car and for my friends many times since. I believe that the song is best enjoyed in the company of others, but for maximum entertainment, I would recommend having other people yell the lyrics. I have disrespected acquaintances who consider themselves music connoisseurs and continue to do so.
Today, I often feel unable to prevent myself from singing the chorus of the song out loud (the only part I know), much to the displeasure of those surrounding me.
In class, I was once asked, “Izzy, have you ever considered that you are the emo girl?”
Following this, a request for me to please stop singing the song. However, I can confidently assure you that the song was picked up again a few moments later. I might not be a fan favorite in microeconomics, and I question if the trade-off was worth it.
But then the question stands, am I the emo girl? Most likely not. Like the song, dislike the song, either way, you might hear me sing the lyrics.
Izzy,
I like your take on the song industry. I can’t say I know it… but I have probably heard it… and my daughter probably knows most of the words. I am terrible at lyrics but I feel like I wouldn’t mess up the simple chorus! Haha. Maybe I’ll be jamming out with you!
Hi Izzy! I thought your take on “emo girl”’s lyricism was really interesting. I had never thought about the beauty behind simplicity. Despite the moderate ridiculousness of what the song is saying, I think that the ability to convey one’s feelings without the flowery language and convoluted metaphors is underrated. Megan Fox’s quote: “because you literally had no face, like that thing from Spirited Away.” perhaps speaks to the fact that using unnecessary words and figurative language can blur the meaning of what one is trying to say, thus diminishing the meaning of the statement. I’ve definitely heard “emo girl” from your mouth more than I have on any digital medium, and I don’t think I’d have it any other way. The simplicity of the song makes it easy to remember, thus easy to repeat, and thus easier to spread. So really, “emo girl” is a masterpiece for the music industry.
I think the understanding of music’s power to convey feelings has become more complicated than it needs to be. Everyone wants to sound the most poetic, and so they speak around what they want to say instead of saying it directly. When I look at lyricism through this lens, I begin to understand the true beauty and industry-shattering power of “emo girl.” Brevity is a virtue that our music industry overlooks.