From Olivia Rodrigo to Francesca Michielin: the week of riots

From political anger to pop introspection, passing through songwriting and indie influences: the new releases of the week, both Italian and (above all) international, have a strong feminine imprint. Pussy Riot, Francesca Michielin, Olivia Rodrigo and Joan As Police Woman, despite coming from very different artistic worlds, share the ability to transform their voice into an instrument of affirmation, story and change. They are the ones who conquer the ideal cover of the list of the most anticipated record releases of the week.

Francesca Michielin – “White magic”

The project opens a new chapter in Francesca Michielin’s path, built through a real concept album in form and themes, combining dungeon synth, medieval and 80s atmospheres with stories of ladies and witches that are reflected in contemporaneity. “A woman cannot” anticipated the album: a song defined by the artist herself as “tragicomic”, which combines fantasy imagery and magical lexicon with the theme of gender disparity. Inspired by the music of Mike Oldfield and Kate Bush, but also by the production of Franco Battiato, with whom Francesca had the honor of collaborating when she was very young, the piece is accompanied by a video clip directed by The Rings with the participation of Giovanna Mezzogiorno.

Joan As Police Woman – “Real Life Evolution”

Twenty years after the release of the album “Real Life”, Joan As Police Woman offers a new reading of her music through the album “Real Life Evolution”, out on June 12th for Reveal Records. This project marks a passage of reflection on the past years and a sonic rediscovery that involves important collaborators such as Iggy Pop and Krystle Warren. Joan Wasser, musician and producer from New York, now a key figure in independent music, chooses to rework the tracks of her debut work with revised arrangements. The result is a record that combines memory and renewal, born from the intense live experience and musical alchemy built together with a band that helped define his authentic and personal sound.

Olivia Rodrigo – “You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love”

The third album was once said to be the album of maturity. Who knows if the expression is still valid today, in the world of liquid discography or post-discography. What is certain is that “You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” is a break-up album for Olivia Rodrigo. It is already starting from the title, symbolically, compared to the short ones of “Sour” and “Guts”. Rodrigo explained that he chose it because it perfectly encapsulates the central theme of the album: the contradiction between loving happiness and melancholy. If “Sour” was the record of heartbreak and “Guts” was the record of insecurity and growth, “You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” seems to focus on adult love. Rodrigo declared that most of the songs were born from his first romantic relationship as an adult, but without abandoning the restless and melancholic streak that characterizes his writing. Musically it is a work that maintains the link with the guitar pop-rock that made her famous, but with greater compositional maturity. Some sources describe the album as characterized by 80s guitar-pop influences and a more reflective approach compared to the adolescent anger of previous works. It will be one of the titles of the season.

Pussy Riot – “CYKA”

After fourteen years of activity between music, performance art and political activism, Pussy Riot make their official debut with this album, “Cyka”. According to the founder Nadya Tolokonnikova, the album condenses into fourteen songs everything that the collective has experienced from 2012 to today: protests, arrests, trials, exile, surveillance and the fight against Vladimir Putin’s regime. The title takes up the Russian word “сука” (“cyka”), colloquially translated as “bitch” or “bitch”, a choice consistent with the group’s provocative aesthetic. The album is preceded by “Candy Dopamine”, created together with Avenged Sevenfold. The song addresses the topic of addiction to drugs, antidepressants and various substances. In addition to Avenged Sevenfold, the album also includes collaborations with B-Real and Salem Ilese. Small curiosity: Russian president Vladimir Putin appears in the album’s credits as a “contributor”, a provocation that is part of the long history of conflict between the collective and the Russian president.