Usually, when people say they were born in the wrong era, they’re looking back. Me? I’m gazing with hearts in my eyes at the present. Yes, there is a lot – a lot – that makes the 21st century seem less than ideal, but the one thing that makes me wish I was an adolescent today is the music scene. Artists like Willow, Alessia Cara, and Chiara Young are at the forefront of music I wish I had as a teen with a mind chaotically spinning a million miles a second. I am 100% sure that I would’ve placed lyrics from Young’s “I Don’t Wear Skirts” under my senior photo. For now, I’ll just continue to sing it like the anthem it’s meant to be.
Many like to think that all these gender identity things just popped up out of nowhere. Not the case. People have been struggling with the idea of gender, and societal pressure to be feminine and masculine for a very long time. I grew up very much a tomboy and as I got older, dressing feminine was always an inner battle. Songs like “I Don’t Wear Skirts” bring a sense of normalcy to that personal war some of us fight. Songs like this also give way to an indie-pop gem that fans of Avril Lavigne and Olivia Rodrigo would want on their playlists.
Chiara Young has been making waves on Tik Tok, and even got a bump in musical attention with her cover of Coldplay’s “Yellow.” Now she’s looking to add to her success with “I Don’t Wear Skirts.” If you are in need of an anthemic, indie-pop record check out Chiara Young’s latest, available on all major music and streaming platforms.
Written by Kendra Beltran
