Carly Rae Jepsen is the pop girl we need But the one that we don't deserve
Back in 2012, she was everywhere with Call Me Maybe, then - for the less attentive - she seemed to vanish into the background, unfairly overlooked. A sort of pop meteor. Naturally, we’re talking about Carly Rae Jepsen, the 1985-born popstar who, quietly and without much attention (which is a shame), has delivered delightful projects and songs so forward-thinking that they may have gone unnoticed by the mainstream, distracted by pop phenomena that are less refined but more immediate.
Her story isn’t particularly unique. Carly Rae Jepsen first gained attention in 2007 as a contestant on Canadian Idol, where she placed third. After the global success of Call Me Maybe, the hit from her album Kiss, she kept making music. In 2015 came the album Emotion, followed by Dedicated in 2019 and The Loneliest Time in 2022, then The Loveliest Time the following year. While she never replicated the massive success of her breakout hit, she has won over fans of refined pop, slightly hipster, nostalgic but never repetitive. In this article, we’ll try to unpack why.
Why do we love Carly Rae Jepsen so much?
Part of the answer lies in the question itself. Carly Rae Jepsen has become what some would call a hipster icon because her pop combines super catchy melodies with carefully crafted, realistic lyrics that capture real emotions, awkward crushes, embarrassment, melancholy, without falling into clichés. The production (over the years handled by artists like Tavish Crowe, Jack Antonoff, Cole M.G.N., Rostam Batmanglij, Danny L Harle, Kyle Shearer, and Bullion) blends ’80s and ’90s synths with modern touches, creating a sound that’s both familiar and fresh. Her music is packed with hidden tracks, B-sides, and deluxe editions that reward listeners who dig beyond the mainstream singles. It’s carefully crafted pop that’s sincere and accessible, perfect for anyone who wants something light but with conscious taste. Her aesthetic fits perfectly too. Take Boy Problems, the 2015 single that anticipated the next wave, with a video directed by Petra Collins featuring indie it-girls like Tavi Gevinson and Barbie Ferreira.
The rest comes down to timing and luck. Jepsen arrived on the scene at the perfect moment, when indie circles were starting to reevaluate pop as music worth serious attention. Listening to her became almost a way to signal taste: you enjoy hits, but you also appreciate production, songwriting, and hidden gems. In a musical landscape full of irony and detachment, her sincerity and genuine passion make her pop surprisingly alternative, and therefore admired. Today, the popstar, who recently became a mother, proudly maintains her devoted niche, continuing confidently in her chosen genre: pop that’s not too pop. After all, not everyone has to be a Taylor Swift.
