"Emo Girl"
Cover art depicting an illustration of Machine Gun Kelly (right) and Willow (left) seated against a pink watercolor background with the title written above them with hearts around it
Single by Machine Gun Kelly and Willow
from the album Mainstream Sellout
ReleasedFebruary 4, 2022 (2022-02-04)
GenrePop punk[1][2]
Length2:39
Label
Songwriter(s)Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker, Willow Smith, Brandon Allen, Nick Long, Stephen Basil
Producer(s)Travis Barker
Machine Gun Kelly singles chronology
"Thought It Was"
(2022)		 "Emo Girl"
(2022)		 "Ay!"
(2022)
Willow singles chronology
"Gaslight"
(2021)		 "Emo Girl"
(2022)		 "Purge"
(2022)
Music video
"Emo Girl" on YouTube

"Emo Girl" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American musicians Machine Gun Kelly and Willow. Produced by Travis Barker, the song was released on February 4, 2022, as the second single off of Kelly's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout, following "Papercuts".

Background

In 2021, Machine Gun Kelly had reported that he had worked on a collaboration with Willow Smith; at the time, the song had the working title of "Emo Prom".[3] The song was first previewed on the January 30, 2022, on Kelly's TikTok account, by the title "Cherry Red Lipstick".[3] By February 4, the clip had amassed 17 million views.[4] The full version of the song, now titled "Emo Girl", was released on February 4, just after Kelly had announced the song's respective album had been retitled from Born with Horns to Mainstream Sellout.[4] The song features drumming, production, and a co-writing credit from Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, who had previously collaborated with Kelly on his 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall.[5] Barker had also previously collaborated on Willow's 2021 album Lately I Feel Everything.[5]

Composition and themes

The song's sound was described as pop punk by multiple publications,[1][2] being compared to the work of Blink-182, New Found Glory, and Bowling for Soup.[6][7] As such, many also noted that it sounded like it could have been released in 2000's rock music scene.[6][7] The track opens with a soundbite of Kelly's fiancé Megan Fox stating that she is a god, followed immediately by a "pop punk guitar riff".[5][8] The soundbite comes from the 2009 film Jennifer's Body.[9] The song then moves into lyrics that were described by Loudwire as a "laundry list of emo tropes" and as a mix between Blink 182's "The Rock Show" and Type O Negative's "Black No. 1".[10] The song even references Blink-182 lyrically, with Willow singing about "bleeding on your Blink tee".[9] Rolling Stone described the song musically as a mix between Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" and Good Charlottes "Riot Girl".[11]

Reception

Billboard praised the song as being a good example of how Machine Gun Kelly and Willow had successfully rebranded themselves as part of the 2020s pop punk revival, stating that the song "functions as a summit of artists hoisting up their rock cred in joyful unison".[8] NME called it a stand out song on Mainstream Sellout, praising Baker and Smith's chemistry, saying they bounce off each other.[12] Clash said it has bucketloads of charm.[13] Rolling Stone called it a "gleefully derivative" song that shows that "when Kelly reins in his yelp tiks, the buzzsaw bubblegum sticks".[11] Other publications were more critical about the song's lack of originality. Loudwire found the lyrics to "pander[ing] to scenesters",[14] while The Daily Californian complained of its "vapid lyricism and repetitive chorus."[15] Wall of Sound felt that despite its "highly infectious melody", the song was ultimately annoying.[16] BrooklynVegan called it "a thoughtless, generic song that even a C-list pop punk band would've left on the cutting room floor in the mid 2000s."[17] Far Out Magazine called it terrible but admitted that it is still catchy.[18] Pitchfork felt that it is too "serious to laugh at itself and too absurd to take seriously."[19] Sputnikmusic called Smith the best part of the song, stating that unlike Baker she can actually sing.[20]

Personnel

  • Machine Gun Kelly – vocals, songwriting
  • Travis Barker – drums, production, songwriting
  • Willow Smith – vocals, songwriting
  • Brandon Allen – production, songwriting
  • Nick Long – songwriting
  • Stephen Basil – songwriting

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Emo Girl"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[39] Gold 40,000‡
United States (RIAA)[40] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history for "Emo Girl"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various February 4, 2022
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 [41]
Italy Contemporary hit radio Universal [42]
United States February 15, 2022 Alternative radio Interscope [43]

References

  1. 1 2 Zemler, Emily (February 4, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly and Willow's 'Emo Girl' is an Early 00s Nostalgia Trip". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Machine Gun Kelly's 'Emo Girl' Is A Valentine for Sharpie-Colored Hearts". Spin.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Machine Gun Kelly teases Willow collab 'Cherry Red Lipstick'". Nme.com. January 30, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Machine Gun Kelly's new song Emo Girl featuring Willow will have you fist-pumping in your old fishnet gloves". Loudersound.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 ""Emo Girl": Machine Gun Kelly & WILLOW's Mall-Punk Salvo". Stereogum.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Machine Gun Kelly and Willow's song 'Emo Girl' will take you back to 2002". Cleveland.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  7. 1 2 "2004 called, and even it doesn't want Machine Gun Kelly & WILLOW's "Emo Girl" back". Brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Lipshutz, Jason (February 4, 2022). "First Stream: New Music From Nicki Minaj & Lil Baby, Mitski, Machine Gun Kelly and More". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Machine Gun Kelly, Willow, and Travis Barker Link Up for New Track "Emo Girl"". Complex.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  10. ↑ Joe DiVita. "Machine Gun Kelly Teams With Willow Smith on New Song 'Emo Girl'". Loudwire.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  11. 1 2 Aaron, Charles (March 28, 2022). "Review: Machine Gun Kelly's 'Mainstream Sellout'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  12. ↑ Shutler, Ali (March 25, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly – 'Mainstream Sellout' review: pop-punk revival rolls on". NME. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  13. ↑ Swingle, Emily (March 24, 2022). "Mainstream Sellout". Clash. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  14. ↑ DiVita, Joe (February 4, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly Teams With Willow Smith on New Song 'Emo Girl'". Loudwire. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  15. ↑ Harvey, Lauren (March 29, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly falls flat on banal 'Mainstream Sellout'". The Daily Californian. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  16. ↑ May, Tamara (March 25, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly – Mainstream Sellout (Album Review)". Wall of Sound. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  17. ↑ Sacher, Aaron (March 28, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly review – pop punk's 'Mainstream Sellout' doubles down on new LP". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  18. ↑ McStarkey, Mike (March 17, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly and Bring Me the Horizon team up for the genuinely terrible song 'maybe'". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  19. ↑ Gordon, Arielle (April 2, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly: Mainstream Sellout Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  20. ↑ L., Jesper (March 26, 2022). "Review Machine Gun Kelly - Mainstream Sellout". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  21. ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 14 February 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1667. Australian Recording Industry Association. February 14, 2022. p. 4.
  22. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly & Willow – Emo Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  25. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 202215 into search. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  26. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202213 into search. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Machine Gun Kelly". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 2022" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  30. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  31. ↑ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202213 into search. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 6". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly – Emo Girl". Music Canada. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  40. ↑ "American single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly – Emo Girl". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  41. ↑ "emo girl (feat. Willow)". February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Spotify.
  42. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly feat. Willow "Emo Girl" | (Radio Date: 04/02/2022)". Radiodate.it (in Italian). Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  43. ↑ "Alternative Radio Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
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