Pop’s New Obsession With Persona
How artists build eras, masks, characters, and public selves in an attention economy that makes identity part of the song.
Essays
Songs Called “Take a Bow”: Pop Theater From Rihanna to the Underground
A title can carry theatrical finality before a song begins. “Take a Bow” remains one of pop’s most useful phrases.
Why Main Character Music Still Works
Main character music survives because confidence is not only an emotion. It is a role listeners sometimes need to borrow.