(This was written by our intern, Rogin Losa)
Pop music is no exception to cyberculture’s influence. Nowadays, it’s more than just having a catchy beat to climb up the charts to win the hearts of many. Sometimes you have to be beyond real to keep it real. Hyperreal pop stars have been surfacing the web and making not just a name for themselves, but making everyone a bit scared.
The lack of interviews and background of their personality beyond their persona is one of them. Well if you’re only existing persona is being an internet cult leader, a hologram pop star, or is a living embodiment of an energy drink—your soul will read WTF. Check out these musicians who’re extreme virtual pop personas is making us dance away to the Uncanny Valley.
QT (Hayden Dunham)
Is it a music video or an energy drink commercial, who knows? QT or Quinn Thomas wasn’t introduced as a person but as an energy drink or an “Energy Elixir.” She’s a virtual character of sorts. Her single “Hey QT” features QT being hooked onto wires as if it was a scene in a Black Mirror episode. That imagery intercuts with her dance routine, a beautiful boy, and plugs about the energy drink “QT.”
The “DrinkQT” energy drink was distributed in her performances and is made available for pre-order. The taste of the drink is like red bull but with a bit more tart, according to journalist Sasha Geffen. She has no other singles released since then. But it’s surely interesting on what QT will release next? Is “DietQT” in the works?
Hannah Diamond
Hannah Diamond is mostly associated with her recent collaborations with Charli XCX. But she’s more than just another feature in a famous single. She’s PC Music’s reigning pop princess and acclaimed “professional image maker.” Her first single “Attachment” was described as “bubblegum hyperreality” by Stereogum. This goes for her entire aesthetic. With her outfits looking like it’s stolen from Sporty Spice’s wardrobe, she has fixation over the idea of being virtually famous. This is seen in her music video “Hi” were about people’s obsession with being friends with your favorite celeb. She blows web cam kisses from left to right and mostly never leaves the comforts of an LED screen.
That Poppy
Well, well, well— where do we begin? The fact that there’s literally not much history about her real life persona? The fact that she releases videos that are the brainchild of Warhol and Lynch? The fact that her songs are in a thin line of cute and cult-y? Why not all of the above! That Poppy is your internet girl, to say the least. Her vlogger to pop stardom journey began in 2014 where she released the video Poppy Eats Cotton Candy. It was directed by her collaborator Titanic Sinclair.
The next vlogs she releases were her spreading her “wings” for 20 minutes and reading the entire bible. Apart from releasing these eerie, pastel colored vlogs, she’s a popstar as well. That might be the most important aspect about her. Her songs are innocently pop but with sinister undertones. If she’s truly an internet pop sensation/cult leader, she’s indeed a cute and catchy one.
