Culture This & That

If you read my recent article on taking back and owning the “basic bish” slur, you know I’m an advocate of entering the chapter of your life in which you embrace being an evolved basic bish who likes what they like. If you love it, relish it and shout it from the rooftops. If you didn’t read that article, I’m telling you now: Life is too short to be embarrassed about any of the simple pleasures in life. If it’s not hurting you or anyone else, roll around in whatever it is you love!

In honor of fully embracing all the things in life that bring me joy, I hereby introduce the Basic Bish Chronicles. If it brings my inner basic bish joy, I will tell you about it here. This evolved basic bish is here to help you flood your life with the simple pleasures in life. Let’s begin.

If you’re not familiar with Carly Rae Jepsen’s work beyond 2012’s “Call Me Maybe,” you’re in for a treat. This here is my heartfelt Ode to Lady Jepsen. Every cause needs a patron saint, and with the highest of compliments, I crown Lady Jepsen the Patron Saint of the Evolved, Self Accepting Basic Bish.

It’s refreshing when you come across a pop singer who sings about being just, well, normal. Instead of hammering you over the head with platitudes about how she loved herself hard enough until everyone realized how amazing she is, Jepsen sings about being a nerdy girl who doesn’t always get the guy or crown at the end of the movie, and she’s okay about it.  

Jepsen’s music, instead of burdening you with the homework of evolving to a higher plane in which you’re so above insecurity that you strut down the runway in a glitter thong, simply says, “Sometimes I feel really good! Sometimes I feel really bad! Sometimes I even feel invisible! I know you do, too. Let’s dance about it!”

The first time I realized Jepsen’s music had more to offer than upbeat workout and dance music, I was listening to her 2015 album, “Emotion.” Fast forward to the eighth track–“Your Type.” “I’m  not the type of girl for you/ And I’m not going to pretend/ That I’m the type of girl you call more than a friend,” she sang. Now, I know what most self respecting Americans will say: “She needs to learn to love herself more and realize that he doesn’t deserve her if he’s not into her.” Yes, all that. Therapy, self love–yes. But also, it’s ok to take a break from the endless self betterment wheel of America. How refreshing! Here was Carly Rae Jepsen, a young woman (cute but not a supermodel) admitting that as much as she’s infatuated with this guy she’s friends with, he simply is not and will not be into her. She feels the sad feelings, dances while she sings about them, and moves the f*** on. 

Thus began my faithful allegiance to Lady Jepsen. Surely, she loves herself as much as the next gal, but her body of work time and again acknowledges that sometimes we feel insecure and sometimes there is no magical happy ending. Sometimes she gets to be friends with (but not be with) the hot guy she’s infatuated with while he pines after the ostensibly perfect girl. And it’s OK. 

Here’s a Spotify Carly Rae Jepsen playlist for you. I call it, “Basic Bish, Embrace Thyself!”

As you make your way through the playlist, you’ll notice that at first listen, Carly Rae Jepsen’s bops are sweet, upbeat, fun, feel-good stuff. When you google pictures of her, at first impression, you’ll think Jepsen is just a sweet, upbeat, fun waif-of-a-girl next door. It’s easy to write her off as a candied music dispenser. But listen carefully, and you’ll realize her songs are laced with the insights of an underdog who knows what it’s like to sometimes feel like you’re on the sidelines and also know it’s not a bad thing. 

By Samara Gation