Some artists are so unique that you don’t even know how to start describing them. Their art form exceeds everything you have seen before. What you hear is so different to what you’re used to, and to what you’re expecting that you simply cannot stop yourself from listening. And so you are left wondering: Who is that person? Who is that singer? Why is she so intriguing? Those might be your first thoughts while getting to know That Poppy.
The general media doesn’t know a lot about That Poppy, as the singer is highly secretive about her private life. This mystery, paired with her YouTube videos, might be the reason why she has risen to a relatively big amount of fame in such a short amount of time (8 million collective views on YouTube and a song on MTV’s “Scream”). What we know for sure is that That Poppy is a character created by Moriah Pereira (as the credits on her songs indicate). She is a Nashville native and started writing songs about four years ago, according to a recent interview with iHeartRadio. Her age is unknown because her character does not identify with any age. She loves music (duh!), cupcakes and Cyndi Lauper. But that’s as personal as Pereira likes to get.
When thinking about her music, the first words that come to mind are “radio-friendliness”. But it’s radio-friendliness at its best. Currently under contract with Island Record, the singer released her first venture into the music business under the name “bubblebath” in February.
Thanks to producers and co-writers such as Simon Wilcox and Sir Nolan (who are also behind the latest Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas songs), That Poppy managed to create a truly exciting debut EP. It all starts with the bubbly, reggae-infused “Lowlife”, which was also the first single. The listener is then led over to the truly pop-tastic and bombastic anthem “Money”. This track ended up in an episode of the second season of the MTV show “Scream”. The EP concludes with “Altar” and “American Kids”. So, if you are looking for good pop, this will be right up your alley.
Trust us. “Money”, in particular, will brighten up your day.
So why should you know about her?
Well, lyrically, the songs of That Poppy are deeper than they appear at the first listen. All of the songs on her EP reference the experiences she made while running away from home at the young age of 15 and are connected to other things.
Over the light, reggae beats of “Lowlife” for example, That Poppy sings about the miserable time she had when living alone and how a certain person turned the whole situation around. “Money” connects to this theme and satirically regards the importance of money in today’s society. And then there’s the melancholic “American Kids”. The EP’s closing song sums up all of her emotions and thoughts. She’s reflecting on her own behavior (“I’m a dumb pop star in my own right”) and on how the media perceives and portrays today’s society. In the chorus, she sings about how she wants to be herself and “not like the American kids”. She concludes that she doesn’t get why they feel the need to party so heavily or do drugs.
While her aesthetics rely on cream colors so heavily that comparisons to a Barbie doll have been made, the reality is the exact opposite. Her YouTube videos also show those critical views on today’s society.
In collaboration with the artist Titanic Sinclair, she produces 1-10 minute videos about literally anything. The basic structure always remains the same: a cream-color background and Poppy in the centre of the frame. While at first glance, her talk about, for instance, the phone not being connected or her questions about whether or not you believe in the internet might seem odd at first, they all have deeper meanings. Those deeper meanings range from establishing your own identity to questioning/fact-checking the things you read on the Internet. If you want to have a look, here’s the link to her YouTube channel.
That Poppy is one of those rare, unique personas that fill the music landscape with light. She managed to create a character which pulls you in, intrigues and excites you to a whole new level. Her music is, basically, not new but sounds fresh. It is also filled with insightful lyrics, not only about her person but also about her thoughts about society.
If you want to find out more about That Poppy, you can also follow her on social media. Her username is @thatPoppy on Twitter, thatpoppy on Instagram and That Poppy on Facebook.
What do you think about That Poppy? Tweet us @CelebMix or comment down below.