After a four year hiatus, Melanie Martinez, also known as Cry Baby, is back. On September six Martinez released her new album K-12 along with a 90 minute movie. The movie contains music videos that correspond with the 13 songs on the album.
Martinez came to fame when she auditioned for the TV show The Voice in 2012. After her experience on the show, Martinez began independently working on original music. She later signed a contract with Atlantic Records. In 2014, Martinez released her first Extended Play (EP) “Dollhouse.” Soon after the release, her song “Carousel” was in the trailer for the TV show American Horror Story.
Martinez’s debut album Cry Baby was released in 2015. After producing music videos for every song on the album, Martinez decided to work on her next big project.
Four years later, K-12 was released.
In Martinez’s second studio album, she addresses a variety of different issues. Subjects of her songs range from fake friends to the objectification of women. In her movie, Martinez covers topics that weren’t mentioned in her songs such as gender identity and freedom of speech.
“Strawberry Shortcake,” the seventh song on the album, brings to light the harassment of women. Martinez also brought up the issue of women being blamed for the actions of men.
Martinez uses her indie pop music to create a social commentary. The ideas in her songs are relevant for everyone but especially relevant for teenagers, who regularly navigate issues such as fake friends and body image. Despite the explicit language in some of the songs, the messages are meaningful and unforgettable.
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