With record stores being more like nostalgic backdrops for Instagram now, it’s no surprise that a whole generation of new artists are coming up without the need to sit in a neatly categorizable box. Twenty One Pilots, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo – they all play around with genres. Jumping from there to there and while that may have confused the lot back in the day, today it’s the absolute norm. This is why artists like Royal & the Serpent and her ability to do whatever the hell she wants in “Go Phuck Urself” is already making waves.
Alternative undertones with heavy rock moments filtered through a pop-punk haze would have made a scene at summer festivals like Warped Tour if it still existed. Instead Royal & the Serpent has been able to make an impression this year touring alongside PVRIS. Surely making new fans nightly as soon as the chorus of this song hits as it just – it’s a mood. Lyrically this song hits some personal notes with Royal & the Serpent, but overall it’s that universal cry heard in the chorus that we can all attach ourselves to because…have you been alive the past year and a half? Any song giving you the chance to scream “Go Phuck Urself” is bound to be a fan favorite.
Musically, yes this takes from here and there and that makes Royal & the Serpent line herself up against other alt-acts like the aforementioned but what also keeps her under the same umbrella as many artists today is her inability to conform lyrically. For so long we heard the same types of songs throughout our day. The same rap song, rock song, pop song singing about things that didn’t matter. Today’s artists, like Royal & the Serpent, aren’t singing nonsense. They’re digging deep and shining a light on the chaos that is often running in all of our heads.
Royal & the Serpent did it with “overwhelmed” and is doing it again with “Go Phuck Urself.” You can listen for yourself as it’s available now on all major music and streaming platforms.
Written by Kendra Beltran
