One of the biggest names recently in pop music has come out with the first single off of her sophomore album this week, and it has shocked both critics and fans alike. Megan Trainor’s previously girly, retro and ‘squeaky clean’ image has drastically changed with the release of her new single “NO” and its accompanying music video. While the song itself is a pretty empowering statement to females across the globe, it seems to contradict itself.
Megan Trainor first appeared on the pop music scene with her breakout single “All About That Bass” in 2014, and became known for her vintage sound and similarly vintage appearance. While Trainor’s songs have always seemed a little conflicted as to their content, she stayed true to her original character during the release of her album Title in 2015 and numerous hit singles afterward. With the release of her latest single, “NO,” Trainor seems to have changed very drastically, which brings up many questions about the music industry in general and its expectations of women.
Trainor is not the first pop star to have changed her appearance and overall sound drastically. There seems to be a long history of singers, particularly women, changing their overall concept throughout their careers. In Megan Trainor’s case, the change was altogether quick, and altogether drastic. Aside from the obvious physical changes – from brunette to blonde, from pastels to black – there’s also a change in the sound – from a retro pop sound to a retro hip hop sound. The most glaring change, though, between the two styles is the contrast between the songs and the music videos. With “All About That Bass” the appearance fit the song, and was pretty adorable, if you ask me. With “NO” the lyrics to the song don’t quite match the video.
In both songs, there are some contradictions. “All About That Bass” was criticized by some for its anti-feminist strands. The song is promoting positive body image, but it is doing so by comparing the ideal body to that of what a man would want. Additionally, it doesn’t speak too kindly of thin women. There’s some similar contradictions in “NO,” a song that ultimately is empowering women to just say no when it comes to annoying guys that can’t take a hint. The song’s chorus is based on several pick-up lines, and features Trainor saying “no” in response to every single one – “My name is no/My sign is no/My number is no/You need to let it go.” While this is catchy and sending a message to women – and men – that no means no, there are some lyrics in the song that aren’t as straightforward and successful. Before a reprise of the chorus, Trainor sings “All my ladies listen up/If that boy ain't giving up/Lick your lips and swing your hips” and then proceed to tell them “no.” This lyric is confusing at best. It’s essentially telling women to use their sex appeal to tell a man no. Doesn’t really make sense, does it? Both “All About That Bass” and “NO” have lyrics that contradict themselves, but the biggest changes from the old Megan Trainor to the new is in the music videos.
While “NO” overall still has an empowering message, even with the confusing lyrics, the music video is the most contradictory of all. It’s dark, overly sexy, and utterly pointless. The video shows Trainor and a group of background dancers strutting their stuff in an old abandoned warehouse. The dance moves are sometimes awkward and the costumes are a little much at times, but it doesn’t seem to make sense with the song. The video and the lyric “All my ladies listen up/If that boy ain't giving up/Lick your lips and swing your hips” seem to play off of one another. It’s this weird juxtaposition of female power and female sexuality that doesn’t seem to belong together.
I like Megan Trainor. This song is catchy, you can’t deny that. But the startling change, particularly in appearance, between “All About That Bass” and “NO” seems to be another case of the over-sexualization of women in pop culture. It really makes me sad. Trainor is not the first to do this, and certainly won’t be the last, but I think that it’s important to talk about these things. It would be difficult to deny the changes, sometimes drastic, that take place over the course of a couple of years with women in the music industry. Some other artists who have changed in this way, just to name a few, are Fifth Harmony, Ellie Goulding, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and even Taylor Swift – though I think she’s had the most gradual change of them all. Take a look at some of their earlier music/music videos and compare them to now, and the changes are pretty startling. The changes aren’t always bad – like I said, “NO” is catchy. I find myself singing along to “Confident” by Demi Lovato pretty frequently, even though her “Cool for the Summer” song is terribly different than “Skyscraper.” But it can’t be denied that there was some sort of switch in most of these artists' appearance and music. In Megan Trainor’s case, “NO” was apparently written, and filmed in the way it was, because her record label didn’t think there was a number one hit on her next album. I think it’s time that we start to think about the way pop culture portrays, and often changes, women a bit more. No one should have to change themselves for a number one hit, even if it is for a catchy tune.
