Willa Mae’s Summertime Sadness Singles: Challenging Notions of Womanhood in the South
With the release of two new singles, “Gisele” and “Flirt With the Idea,” up-and-coming artist Willa Mae gives voice to the summer melancholy that women know all too well. Released May 10 and July 26 respectively, the tracks explore the complex array of emotions tied to the commodification and subjugation of women and their bodies. Through conversational lyricism, her singles capture the tension between desire and disillusionment.
Although staying true to her indie-rock roots, her newest singles expand her range in terms of their vulnerable narratives and genre influences. By incorporating grungy Americana instrumentals and gothic melodies, Willa Mae’s experience of growing up in Tennessee is undeniably a more prominent aspect of her newest sound.
A screaming guitar shocks and pulls us into “Gisele.” While the listener is still reeling from the auditory shock, the guitar abruptly stops before stripping the instrumentals to a simple and soft strum. As if gently awakening the listener, Willa Mae asks, “Do you still wake up early every day / To make your bed / Bully your face?” This head-on questioning is perpetuated through the song, but never feels judgmental or interrogatory. Rather, the song feels like a conversation between girls, a warning of the inevitable, an outpour of frustrations and a comforting understanding.
“Gisele” centers around women’s distorted sense of self and appearance due to society's categorization and aestheticization of beauty standards. The single does not shy away from exposing the ugly consequences of this through lyrics such as, “Are you scared to be naked?” and, “You haven’t eaten breakfast since you were eight.” After such lyrics, the instrumentals swell and rock-heavy riffs are introduced, mirroring the emotional intensity and frustration.
But this gritty, anger is interjected by a more hopeful rejection of those standards. As the instrumentals ebb and flow in the outro, we are left with a reminder: “Ain’t it nice to let your body breathe / Ain’t it nice to have a body.”
“Flirt With the Idea” tackles a similar theme of self-worth and resentment, focusing on the disparities between men and women, especially in the southern United States. Its namesake refers to flirting with the idea of having the same kind of freedom and entitlement that boys casually flaunt. Rife with typical masculine imagery of dirt bikes, barbecues and politics, the lyrics poke fun at the southern boy aesthetic while simultaneously longing for it. It seems to criticize the role that women, especially southern women, are forced into from a young age.
Rather than taking on responsibilities and focusing on homemaking, Willa Mae wants to be a “king” too.
The sonic composition uniquely combines upbeat country grunge and gothic rock. The verses and pre-chorus are filled with a coming-of-age style buoyancy before plummeting into an eerie chorus. It evokes a raw feeling of the Southern Gothic genre; on the surface and during most of the song, things sound happy, and people may be smiling, but underneath the facade is something much more troubled and sinister. With the lyrics, “He wants to be a king, but I do too / I’m pretty sure the guillotine is shaped like you / I’m pretty sure the guillotine is meant for you,” she tackles the dismantlement of this hush-hush patriarchal society by acknowledging that the discriminatory system sets the stage for its own demise.
Willa Mae’s singles intimately explore the emotional complexities of womanhood, challenging societal norms with both vulnerability and defiance. While they resonate with listeners, they also serve as a call to question and confront the systems that perpetuate these prejudices.
You can listen to “Gisele” here and “Flirt With the Idea” here. Check out her latest music video for “Flirt With the Idea” and her upcoming concert dates here.
