Sunday Sounds: October 11, 2020, “Not A Pop Song”
Samantha Colleran, October 2020
Little Mix are back with a new single ahead of the release of their sixth studio album, Confetti, titled “Not A Pop Song”. This isn’t a typical pop song, as the title suggests; the girls of Little Mix are here to prove to an audience that they aren’t just a “bubble-gum always pop” band for children.
The girls make a nod to former manager and record label Simon Cowell and the now non existent sector of Sony Music, Syco Entertainment in the pre chorus of the song (which made me incredibly happy to hear); “I don’t do what Simon says/ Get the message ‘cause it’s read”. It’s clever wordplay on their part, and it makes the song way more impactful. Prior to signing with Columbia Records, the girls were under Simon’s control since the beginning of their X Factor career in 2011. Now that they aren’t under his control and no longer “puppet[s] on a string”, they can make the music they want to make and advance their careers the way they want to (not like he did anything to advance their careers on his part, but that’s a different conversation).
The song is triumphant in a way; now that the girls are free, they don’t have to focus on making pop songs to please an audience that has grown with them. It’s not just a party song, or a song about falling in love, or heartbreak, it’s a song about getting through the years and years of poor management, and now the girls are ready to take on the world. Obviously all of their work prior is incredible, but something about the Confetti era feels like it’ll be incredibly special to the Little Mix girls and their fans. These girls are incredible, and I’m over the moon to hear what other incredible music they’ve been working on for this album.
You can listen to “Not A Pop Song” below, and be sure to pre-save or pre-order Confetti on your preferred listening platforms, due November 6th. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!