The pop-punk movement that swept the world in the early 2000s has been making a resurgence in recent years, due in part to modern artists like Olivia Rodrigo crafting her work with the influences of Avril Lavigne and Paramore. An up-and-coming artist on this list of female rock musicians is deegie, a Los Angeles-based sensation with spunk and power.
deegie’s new single, "Scraps (Cleland)," is an exciting prelude to her upcoming EP, “EXES.” The collection of songs focuses on her ex-boyfriends and the relationships deegie shared with them. The concept for “EXES” arose when the artist stumbled upon her online journals from the past decade, all of which included details about past relationships, from the most serious ones to those that were totally casual.
“EXES” is an exploration of deegie’s memory, as well as a test of her own accountability and her new perspective granted by hindsight. As a further show of deegie’s gumption and admirable audacity, each song title contains the name of the ex-boyfriend that it’s about.
"Scraps (Cleland)" is both a perfect example of the aforementioned concept, but is also an empowering anthem for those who have experienced tumultuous relationships like those in deegie’s past. The song highlights the toxicity of these past flings, along with their accompanying heartbreak, and opposes them with whining guitar riffs, affecting lyrics and ground-shaking percussion. "Scraps (Cleland)" explores the commitment that the musician wanted to ask of Cleland but at the time lacked the perception to realize it.
"Scraps (Cleland)" was designed to be sung along to, and it promises to rejuvenate the listener's vocal cords with coursing energy and a sense of relief that can only accompany the end of a destructive affair. Despite this, it is near impossible to overpower the vivacity of deegie’s vocals, which balance a thunderous vigor with the sultry sweetness that masks her seething disposition.
The single concentrates on a summer fling that deegie uses to reminisce on the red flags that she missed. It is also a demonstration of the kind of rage and ferocity that unsettles those who aren’t used to experiencing that kind of emotion from a woman. deegie doesn’t beat around any bushes with her music, opting to utilize a kind of directness that makes her stand out in the oversaturated music industry and shines a light on the unfairness of the situational context.
“The funny thing about this song is how it has pulled me back in time to that summer in the Village; the anxiety of whether he would message me, the euphoria of seeing my phone light up, going out drinking, bringing him home and the pit in my stomach when someone told me he was seeing another woman even though we weren’t exclusive,” said deegie.
The goal of the song is to immerse listeners in the emotions the singer experienced when she realized that the man she was infatuated with did not return her sentiments. The song allows deegie the chance to verbalize what she lacked the courage to say to her former partner when she realized what she meant to him.
"Scraps (Cleland)" was released on Oct. 20, and is preceded by two singles, one released earlier this year and another in 2022. The former, titled "Like a Guy" is the most blunt of all the artist’s work. It possesses a definitive pop-punk sound that couldn’t belong to anyone aside from deegie, but still pays homage to the influences that helped craft the sound.
deegie’s first release, "Smile, It's Over :)," contains lyrics that combine an adolescence that highlights her vengeful spirit with a sophisticated bite. deegie alters common phrases about love and relationships to get her point across, like “Don’t cry cuz it happened / Smile cuz it’s over” and “It was the worst of times / It was the worst of times.” The song exemplifies deegie’s classic fem-rock style and her devotion to the pop-punk genre.
deegie’s sound is characterized by high energy and increased stamina in her melodies. She is treating her future as pop punk royalty with delicacy but enough power and raw strength to hold onto her status. The musician’s upcoming album is sure to be full of the anthemic melodies and gut-busting instrumentals that have given her recent work the edge it requires.
