Emo Girl
"Emo Girl" | ||||
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Single by Machine Gun Kelly and Willow | ||||
from the album Mainstream Sellout | ||||
Released | February 4, 2022 | |||
Genre | Pop punk[1][2] | |||
Length | 2:39 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer(s) | Travis Barker | |||
Machine Gun Kelly singles chronology | ||||
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Willow singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Emo Girl" on YouTube |
"Emo Girl" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American rock musicians Machine Gun Kelly and Willow, with Travis Barker. The song was released on February 4, 2022, as the second single off of Kelly's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout, following "Papercuts".
Background[]
In 2021, musician Machine Gun Kelly had reported that he had worked on a collaboration with Willow Smith; at the time, the song had the working title of "Emo Prom".[3] The song was first previewed on the January 30, 2022, on Kelly's Tiktok account, by the title "Cherry Red Lipstick".[3] By February 4, the clip had amassed 17 million views.[4] The full version of the song, now titled "Emo Girl", was released on February 4, just after Kelly had announced the song's respective album had been retitled from Born with Horns to Mainstream Sellout.[4] The song features drumming, production, and a co-writing credit from Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, who had previously collaborated with Kelly on his 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall.[5] Barker had also previously collaborated on Willow's 2021 album Lately I Feel Everything.[5]
Composition and themes[]
The song's sound was described as pop punk by multiple publications,[1][2] being compared to the work of Blink-182, New Found Glory, and Bowling for Soup.[6][7] As such, many also noted that it sounded like it could been released in 2000's rock music scene.[6][7] The track opens with a soundbite of Kelly's fiancé Megan Fox stating that she is a god, followed immediately by a "pop punk guitar riff".[5][8] The soundbite comes from the 2009 film Jennifer's Body.[9] The song then moves into lyrics that were described by Loudwire as a "laundry list of emo tropes" and as a mix between Blink 182's "The Rock Show" and Type O Negative's "Black No. 1".[10] The song even references Blink-182 lyrically, with Willow singing about "bleeding on your Blink tee".[9]
Reception[]
Billboard praised the song as being a good example of how Machine Gun Kelly and Willow had successfully rebranded themselves as part of the 2020s pop punk revival, stating that the song "functions as a summit of artists hoisting up their rock cred in joyful unison".[8]
Personnel[]
- Machine Gun Kelly – vocals, songwriting
- Travis Barker – drums, production, songwriting
- Willow Smith – vocals, songwriting
- Brandon Allen – production, songwriting
- Nick Long – songwriting
- Stephen Basil – songwriting
Charts[]
Chart (2022) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[11] | 78 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] | 49 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[13] | 65 |
Canada Rock (Billboard)[14] | 38 |
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[15] | 37 |
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[16] | 97 |
Global 200 (Billboard)[17] | 91 |
Ireland (IRMA)[18] | 71 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] | 38 |
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[20] | 11 |
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[21] | 15 |
UK Singles (OCC)[22] | 52 |
US Billboard Hot 100[23] | 77 |
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[24] | 9 |
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[25] | 45 |
Release history[]
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | February 4, 2022 |
|
[26] | |
Italy | Contemporary hit radio | Universal | [27] | |
United States | February 15, 2022 | Alternative radio | Interscope | [28] |
References[]
- ^ a b Zemler, Emily (February 4, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly and Willow's 'Emo Girl' is an Early 00s Nostalgia Trip". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly's 'Emo Girl' Is A Valentine for Sharpie-Colored Hearts". Spin.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly teases Willow collab 'Cherry Red Lipstick'". Nme.com. January 30, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly's new song Emo Girl featuring Willow will have you fist-pumping in your old fishnet gloves". Loudersound.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c ""Emo Girl": Machine Gun Kelly & WILLOW's Mall-Punk Salvo". Stereogum.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly and Willow's song 'Emo Girl' will take you back to 2002". Cleveland.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "2004 called, and even it doesn't want Machine Gun Kelly & WILLOW's "Emo Girl" back". Brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (February 4, 2022). "First Stream: New Music From Nicki Minaj & Lil Baby, Mitski, Machine Gun Kelly and More". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly, Willow, and Travis Barker Link Up for New Track "Emo Girl"". Complex.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Joe DiVita. "Machine Gun Kelly Teams With Willow Smith on New Song 'Emo Girl'". Loudwire.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 14 February 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1667. Australian Recording Industry Association. February 14, 2022. p. 4.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly & Willow – Emo Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 202211 into search. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 20226 into search. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Machine Gun Kelly". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 2022" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
- ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 6". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ "emo girl (feat. Willow)". Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Spotify.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly feat. Willow "Emo Girl" | (Radio Date: 04/02/2022)". Radiodate.it (in Italian). Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- ^ "Alternative Radio Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- 2022 singles
- 2022 songs
- Machine Gun Kelly (musician) songs
- Bad Boy Records singles
- Interscope Records singles
- Song recordings produced by Travis Barker
- Songs written by Machine Gun Kelly (musician)
- Songs written by Willow Smith
- Willow Smith songs