It seemed to come out of nowhere – but suddenly, it was everywhere. From its impassioned disco strings to its irresistibly catchy hook to its adorable music video with over a billion views, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” was a bona fide craze. Released 10 years ago this month, the number one hit single topped the Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks and set the tone for what was to follow.
While Jepsen has yet to recapture the same commercial success, the Canadian singer-songwriter has earned a dedicated fan following who consider her pretty much the queen of everything. Jepsen’s discography is filled with sophisticated pop songs that brim bright with lovelorn fantasy, yearning sincerity, and lots of fun. Let’s talk about the best of the best.
“Run Away With Me”
Opening songs don’t get any better than this. After all, how many saxophone riffs are the subject of memeification? Kicking off Jepsen’s third studio album E•MO•TION, “Run Away With Me” features sweeping ’80s-style synths, epic drums, and an anthemic chorus in which the singer bursts with confessions to a would-be lover, delivering promises like “I’ll be your sinner, in secret.”
“Cut to the Feeling”
Released as a single from the animated film Ballerina, “Cut to the Feeling” was written during the creation of E•MO•TION. According to Jepsen, the song didn’t make the cut because “It was almost too cinematic and theatrical.” But that’s what makes the song such a stunner! “Cut to the Feeling” opens with an understated handclap beat before bursting into dizzying pop euphoric bliss that reaches higher and higher.
“Now That I Found You”
By her fourth album Dedicated, it was clear Jepsen had carved out a distinct style that was all her own. Bouncy, joyous, and warm, “Now That I Found You” finds an artist in full control of her craft. The syncopated tribal drum beat carries the song all the way through, as the singer encourages her lover to embrace the intangible magic of their relationship: “Nothing's impossible/Now that I found you.”
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