Madonna, Carly Rae Jepsen, & Why I Love Pop Music
- Joshua Miller
- Jul 12
- 6 min read
Video Description
Hi everyone!
Because style is my favorite subject, and in honor of Madonna’s newest album, “CONFESSIONS II,” today I want to talk about how Madonna and Carly Rae Jepsen are examples of why I love pop music.
In this video, we’ll compare the opening and closing tracks of Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2015 album “E·MO·TION” and Madonna’s 1983 album “Madonna,” and how they demonstrate self-declaration and inspiration: two qualities that I love in pop music.
As always, make sure to let me know in the comments what you think of this video and what you’d like me to talk about next.
But until then, make sure to have a wonderful day, and thank you so much for watching!
: )))
Video Transcript
Since Madonna and Carly Rae Jepsen released albums in back-to-back weeks, I've been unable to stop thinking about the importance and the impact of these two artists on me as a lifelong lover of pop music.
Carly Rae Jepsen is a star who I've loved since "Call Me Maybe," but it's her 2015 album Emotion that still remains my favorite album of all time to this day. However, in my sophomore year of college, I would go on to discover a record that would change the way that I see pop music for a different reason, and that's by establishing the historical context through which I view Emotion.
It was during this year of school that I started listening to Madonna, and I started with her debut 1983 self-titled record. Once I listened to this record, it was like a portal to a completely different chapter of popular music history had opened up for me. Suddenly, the music that I had loved ever since I was a kid had deeper meaning because it was a part of a larger story that I'd like to tell you today.
So, in honor of Madonna's 15th studio album, Confessions 2, recently being released, I'd like to use this video to pay tribute to Madonna by illustrating how her self-titled debut record from 1983 can be heard and felt in my favorite album of all time, Emotion by Carly Rae Jepsen.
Hi everyone, I'm Joshua Miller, and welcome to my YouTube channel. I create videos on fashion, pop music, and Pokémon so that way you can live with style, confidence, and enthusiasm. And because style is my favorite subject, today I'd like to talk about the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna, and my favorite artist of all time, Carly Rae Jepsen. So, let's get into it.
To illustrate the presence of Madonna on Emotion, I'll be comparing two sets of songs from both albums to demonstrate how they both use pop music as a tool for self-declaration and inspiration in a similar way. Specifically, we're going to be looking at the opening and closing tracks of both albums and discuss what they do narratively for the respective projects. Then, we'll end by discussing how these two albums have deepened my appreciation for and uplifted my love of pop music.
Starting with the triumphant opening of Madonna, the song "Lucky Star" never fails to amaze me with how vibrant and beautiful its imagery is. It's like everything about the way that the song sounds and feels is telling you that it's okay to be seen having fun. And I think that this bravery of being willing to be seen for who you are and what you believe is the biggest comparison that you can make between Madonna and Carly Rae Jepsen at first glance.
Looking at the opening track of Emotion, "Run Away With Me," the song opens with a blaring saxophone that is so inspiring and symbolic. "Run Away With Me" tells the story of Carly Rae Jepsen meeting someone for the first time while traveling and daring them to run away with her, away from everything that they've ever known before. And I just really appreciate how open this track is because it demonstrates Carly Rae Jepsen's value of putting your heart on the line, even if it's unconventional or embarrassing.
Because to Carly Rae Jepsen, when you know, you know, and that instinct is something that should always be followed, which is a theme that I think is also shared by Madonna's music as well. Through the vocal performance on "Lucky Star," Madonna carries herself with this instinctual but effortless level of cool that just draws you in and has always inspired me to want to be myself.
But putting your heart on the line and displaying who you authentically are often means getting hurt or being disappointed, and I find it really interesting how these two different artists navigate this feeling.
Moving back to Emotion, the closing song on this album, "When I Needed You," feels like Carly Rae Jepsen is in the back of a convertible driving along the beach in California at sunset, singing with her hair blowing in the wind about how she's no longer willing to invest her time in someone who's not willing to appreciate and value her for how she sees herself.
Again, I just love how triumphant this song is because it declares her newly found self-worth in a way that has helped me through multiple breakups, setbacks, and lonely periods in my life.
And while the closing track of Madonna, "Everybody," is a little bit different narratively, I think you can compare the two in feeling. "Everybody" is a song that calls out to those who may be afraid to join her on the dance floor to let go of their fears and inhibitions and join her anyway. Through production that exposes her vocals and a sharp beat that's really easy to follow, it's as if Madonna is saying, "If I can put myself out there, even if I feel scared to, you can, too."
I think these mutual stories of pop music as a form of inspiration and self-actualization illustrate how these two albums are similar.
To me, a great pop record is supposed to feel like a musical in that its narrative structure is supposed to encourage you or inspire you to face a specific challenge or grow in a specific way. And I love how both of these albums really do that.
To me, Emotion by Carly Rae Jepsen says, "Even if the world knocks you down or makes fun of you for the things that you can't help but feel, you should always pick yourself back up and keep chasing your dreams."
Similarly, to me, Madonna's debut record says that even if the world doesn't celebrate life or art in the way that you do, you should still not be afraid to do it on your own terms because doing so might inspire other people to join in.
Both of these albums have inspired me so much over the course of my life, and I love how putting them side by side makes each of them feel like more than just a collection of songs. Instead, these two albums feel like excerpts from a multi-generational story of perseverance and people making themselves and the world a better place through popular music.
So, as you start to hear songs from Confessions 2 or even "Call Me Maybe," I hope that you'll recognize and appreciate these artists for more than just their bodies of work. Instead, both of them are a part of a larger artistic and cultural tradition that inspires me to be the best that I can be, which is why I love pop music.
So, there you guys have some thoughts that have just been on my mind recently about Madonna and Carly Rae Jepsen. Make sure to let me know in the comments if you guys have a favorite record or what you guys think of these artists. I'm really excited to hear your guys' thoughts, especially as both of these artists are kicking off or have recently released new albums.
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But until then, make sure to have a wonderful day, and thank you so much for watching.
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