Poppy released a video for her new single, “Her,” which features production from the legendary Justin Meldal-Johnsen. It’s her second single of 2021 after a cover of Jack Off Jill’s “Fear of Dying,” hot on the heels of a five-track EP called EAT – NXT Soundtrack, which was released due to a sponsorship agreement between the WWE and Sumerian Records.

It’s a song about finding her own identity after getting out of a relationship that partially defined it for her. Poppy sings during the chorus, “I’m getting to know her/And all of her anger/Picked herself up/Put her back together.” It’s a melodic alt-metal song with power chords coming in groups of four then running together during the choruses and bridge.

A stop-motion animated video for the track shows puppets playing guitar for an emotional master who throws one away each time it makes a mistake, replacing it with one of many other puppets built on an assembly line. It was written and directed by Chris Ullens, who has also worked with artists like Rex Orange County and Lee Ann Womack. 

Meldal-Johnsen’s production keeps the track sounding clean through all of its distortion. He is best known for producing several of Beck’s major albums, as well as for playing bass in Beck’s backing band. Meldal-Johnsen has also worked on music for artists including St. Vincent, Nine Inch Nails, M83, Paramore, Metric and Air, among others. Aside from production work, he has recorded music by artists like Garbage, The Mars Volta, Frank Ocean, Dixie Chicks, Tori Amos, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Goldfrapp, Blood Orange and more, as well.

Out today. I produced. https://t.co/N23OQS88H1

— J. Meldal-Johnsen (@justinmj) June 30, 2021

Metal has been gradually becoming Poppy’s main genre, specifically alternative metal. EAT was an entirely metal release, complete with metal screams and some faster metalcore riffs, slightly branching out from her more melodic material. “Fear of Dying” wasn’t totally metal, but definitely had the same feel. She started out as a pop musician, but began incorporating metal into her music with 2018’s Am I a Girl?, which attempted being both umbrella genres at once. Her 2020 record I Disagree leaned more towards metal, but also showed her roots a bit. Now, she seems to be mostly committed to metal.

Photo credit: Ekaterina Gorbacheva