As polymathic musician David Byrne outlines in his book How Music Works, pop music always reacts to the technological and commercial pressures of its day. The relationship between pop and the larger world is nothing new. As such, she might represent better than anyone what a new breed of pop stars will look and sound like as they respond to a musical and economic landscape shifting under their feet. But she possesses the uncanny ability to pick songwriters who can spin her personal life into universal balladry, and the gift to sing those songs with unerring honesty. Gomez is a singer who has been criticized for “not having the range,” and it may be true - she’ll never hit a Mariah Carey–esque vocal cadenza. Together, these musicians translate Gomez’s private woe into public catharsis, and listeners get to tap into her emotional confession every time they turn on the radio. The song’s music was composed by the Swedish team Mattman & Robin, with additional production by Billie Eilish’s brother Finneas.

The “topline” of “Lose You to Love Me” - its lyrics and melody - were written by Gomez with the duo Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter. The lyrical message of “Lose You to Love Me” is drawn from Gomez’s personal life, her voyage toward self-actualization after a rough breakup with one Justin Bieber, being diagnosed with lupus, and coping with the pressures of the spotlight. So what drove the song to number one? What are listeners responding to? Gomez’s skill doesn’t lie in her vocal acrobatics, but in her ability to deliver a song with unnerving intimacy. Instead, Gomez’s vocals are hushed, conversational, defiantly unspectacular. Its sparse piano accompaniment and lack of percussive elements aren’t unheard of in contemporary pop but would usually be heard backing up a powerhouse vocalist like Adele or Beyoncé. CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ISSUE HERE.Īt first listen, Selena Gomez’s “Lose You to Love Me” seems an unlikely song to top the Billboard Top 40. DONATE $5 A MONTH, RECEIVE THE POP ISSUE OF THE LARB QUARTERLY JOURNAL AS AN EPUB OR PDF.

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