Ideological skirmishes over the motives and obligations of Carpenter’s music include both sincere interrogation of its feminism and smirking counteractive reprisals to that scrutiny. It’s easy to ignite a smoldering batch of think pieces and podcast rebukes in the year of conservatives making Sydney Sweeney an emblem of imagined liberal outrage.... See more

Carpenter speaks to sexual freedom and playfulness, Perry aims to inspire female empowerment, Roan encourages self-acceptance in the face of tribulation, and even Kesha thinks you should love yourself first before anyone else, after all. So it seems the greatest source of sonic comfort during such a difficult time is as much turning inwards, with... See more